Entitlement
by Morgaine Swann
Summary: Eric has another boring night at Fangtasia, until he meets Sookie Stackhouse. Begins w/Escape from the Dragon Room, Season 1, so some of the dialog is from the show, CONTINUES to explore what might have happened if Eric got to Sookie before Bill.
1. Chapter 1

**Entitlement**

Eric brushed his long, golden hair before he got out of his car. The lot in back of Fangtasia was deserted, but it wouldn't be long. The back door was being held open with a case of beer, so he knew Pam and some of the humans were getting ready for the night. Eric was tired of this routine, but it was better than sitting home watching TV or trolling the streets for a meal. At least this way, his meals came to him.

He was wearing head to toe black leather in spite of how warm it was. He didn't know why, but he wanted to be particularly menacing tonight. There was a convention in town, so maybe they'd make good sales tonight and there was always a chance he'd get the satisfaction of kicking some pathetic human in the face. That was always a bright spot of the night.

He strode into the back of the bar with his usual air of arrogance and command, nodding to Pam, and to two new bar girls, all of whom called him "Master," and bowed to him. He loved being called Master. One advantage of vampires being out in society was that a Sheriff like Eric could command the kind of attention and respect he deserved openly. He didn't have to pretend to be less than he was to get along with unsuspecting humans. He could be his glorious, dangerous, merciless self and the unwashed masses would clamor for his attention and approval, eagerly offering their money – as well as their bodies and their blood - to him hand over fist.

He went to his office, tended to a few bills and approved some orders Pam wanted to send in to the distributors. He cruised on the internet for a bit, shopping for nothing in particular, but he ordered some nice silk shirts and made an appointment for his tailor to come to the club and check them for any necessary alterations when they arrived. He wrote his weekly report on the state of his Area, he watched a little TV on the small set in his office, then he decided to head out front. He checked his hair in the mirror again, shaking it out like a lion's mane and smiling at the result. He would be utterly irresistible to some eager young human who would gladly offer herself or himself up to Master of the house. It was a Wednesday night, so humans drank free until Midnight, and that brought in lots of lovely, pale little girls and boys dressed in black and painted to look the way they thought a vampire should look.

Eric dreaded the sea of black tonight. Everything in his world was dark. The women were dark in spirit and in their dress, of which they wore too little, and makeup, of which they always wore too much. If it weren't for an occasional red wall in Fangtasia, there would be no color in the club at all. Even the pale flesh that beckoned to him was colorless and dull. These humans might not be dead, but he'd hardly consider them alive. They were stupid, they were dull and they had little ambition and no imagination. Eric straightened the collar of his black silk shirt and mused about selling the bar, but again, it was too convenient having his meals seek him out. He berated himself for his own lack of ambition, but he really had no interest in changing his routine, no matter how boring it had become.

Eric finally went out to the club, enjoying the murmur that flowed through the crowd as he swept into the room. The staff rightly respected and feared him. The humans were fascinated by him. It was just as it should be, as far as Eric was concerned. No one would stand up to him about anything, no matter how minor the point might be. That was a little dull but it was expedient and Eric was all about expedience these days. He would frighten the tourists, choose one or more of his patrons to fuck and to feed upon, then he would go home early and read a book. He wasn't even sure he'd use the sex room below the club tonight. Some nights, it was just too much trouble to set the scene. So many of his offerings were happy just to be bent over his desk that it seemed a waste of energy to give them much more.

He laughed to himself that he should write a book, or commission one, because he'd read all of the erotica he had so many times that he had it memorized. The stuff people were churning out these days was too vulgar. So much of it expressed a marked hatred for women and that was the opposite of a good read for Eric. He adored women, when he found a good one, but they were fewer and farther between every century. The little goth chicks that filled his club were mostly disposable. He hadn't seen a woman worth fighting for in at least 250 years, but some part of him hoped there might be one somewhere. That hope quickly faded when he reminded himself that such a woman was unlikely ever to darken the doors of Fangtasia, and Eric rarely went anywhere else except for official vampire functions. He occasionally went shopping, but that was a last resort. Except for his need to feed, Eric was a separatist. He only dealt with humans when he needed blood, sex or money. They didn't last long, so there was little point in investing energy in them. As soon as you got used to having them around, they went and died on you.

Eric sat in his throne-like chair and checked his email on his phone. He had a text from the Queen and a couple from other Sheriffs, so he replied to those and sipped on the Real Meal that was served to him instantly when he sat down. He preferred drinking RM in the club because it gave him pleasure to drink human blood in front of humans. As long as there was RM, he didn't need them, but they still wanted him. That was exactly how he liked his relationships – all the control belonged to him.

He was playing Scrabble on his phone because it stretched his knowledge of English, occasionally scanning the crowd for tonight's lucky donor, when a balding little man crawled up before him and dared to touch Eric's knee. Eric promptly kicked the man across the room, smiling for the first time tonight. That was always good fun, and would probably be the best thing that happened tonight.

"Master?" Pam stepped up on the stage behind Eric's chair and waited for leave to approach.

"Yes, Pam?"

She leaned over to speak softly and tease the humans who would speculate about what she was telling the Master. "Bill Compton his here tonight,"

"Really? I had thought he was still avoiding me. He's not as smart as I thought he was."

"You'll be interested in his companion, I'm sure."

"Why would a companion of Compton's hold any interest for me?"

"They're over in the corner – blonde, blue eyes, 25…"

"Mmmmm, I see. I wonder where Bill found that tasty bit?"

"She's asking questions about our patrons, too, Master, she showed pictures to Long Shadow and asked if he noticed who they associated with here."

"He told her we don't allow that, I assume?"

"He did, but I thought you might enjoy telling her yourself. He also said you took one of the girls home recently."

"Indeed? What else do you know about Bill's human?"

"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse, she's from Bon Temps, but I don't think she's Bill's human – he introduced her as his friend."

"She looks mildly interesting from this distance. Will I be disappointed as she draws near?"

"I think not, Master – she's very pretty, and not quite bright enough to be afraid of us."

"I can take care of that," Eric smirked.

"I don't know, Master – this one might not back down as quickly as you'd like."

"Really? Would you like to make a little wager, Pam?"

"Yes, I would."

"I make her cry in 10 minutes or you get a week in New Orleans?"

"You're on, Master."

Eric had scanned Compton and his date a couple of times. He wouldn't mind a little diversion at the moment so he summoned them with a small motion of his hand. Bill looked worried, which made Eric happy, and he got a better look at the girl as she and Bill approached.

'Lovely figure, moves gracefully,' he thought, 'but what is she wearing? I wonder if she knew where Compton was bringing her?'

The pair stepped into the light, which made the girls hair glisten like sunshine. She was actually wearing a dress – a very pretty, red and white dress with a full skirt and cleavage brimming. No black makeup, no black clothes and she actually had a suntan. She stood out like a light in the darkness. Eric was shocked to realize he was feeling something akin to excitement.

"Bill Compton, it has been a while."

"Yes, Eric, I've been…"

""Mainstreaming!"" Eric said, dripping with derision, "I heard." Eric's tone left no doubt that he found the concept bizarre and ridiculous. Look at those breasts…

"I see that is going _well_ for you," Eric honored the girl by showing his interest. This was the prettiest girl he'd seen in a long time. He just prayed she didn't say something stupid and ruin things.

"Oh, yes, Eric, this is my friend…"

"Sookie Stackhouse." 'Yes, Blondie, I know who you are.' Eric had that feeling he loved, like a lion stalking an antelope. Scaring her was going to be fun. The night was looking up.

"How do you know my name?"

Eric didn't respond because he couldn't believe she challenged him that way. Pam spoke up, "I never forget a pretty face. You're in my vault."

Eric smirked at the girl, expecting her to wilt, but she said "Great. That's just great. It's nice to meet you."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" Eric said contemptuously.

"Not really…" she shot back, Bill obviously squeezing her hand to make her stop.

'What's this?' Eric thought to himself, 'she should be afraid of me now. Compton's more afraid than she is. And what exactly is she? She's not human, is she?' He spoke to Pam: _in Swedish_, "Vår lilla djurpark börjar växa till sig. [_Our little zoo is starting to grow_]"

"Jag viet. [_I know_]" Pam replied.

"Miss Stackhouse, I hear you have been asking questions about some of my customers."

"Yes, I have," she replied in the sweetest Southern accent Eric had ever heard. He wondered if she'd notice he had a hard on now. Eric LOVED a girl with a good Southern accent.

"If you have anything to ask, you should ask it of me," he said in his most commanding voice.

"Alrighty, you recognize any of these girls?" She wasn't backing down. She was going to say what she came here to say.

Eric liked that. Now he was less interested in scaring her than in turning her on, so he played it up big. "Mmmm. This one offered herself to me, but I found her too pathetic for my attentions." She didn't like that and Eric noticed. Interesting reaction. "Now this one, however, I have tasted." He looked right at her to see what her reaction would be, hoping she wasn't a sister or best friend, and also hoping to see a little wish that he'd taste_ her_. She was breathing a little heavy. He couldn't take his eyes off her breasts, so he noticed that.

"I remember 'em both," Pam said.

"Is that because of the vault?" Sookie said in a sassy comeback. Eric bit his tongue so he didn't laugh when Compton squeezed her hand again. Eric couldn't tell yet if she was that brave or that dumb, but he wanted to find out which it was. At the very least, she was entertaining. Easy on the eyes, too.

"… Never had either of them, though. They weren't really my type," Pam continued.

"Well, thank you very much, that is all your time I need to take." Sookie reached for her purse to put the pictures away, but before he knew he was doing it, Eric said "I'm not finished with you yet!"

Wow – where did that come from? He didn't know if he wanted that to scare her or not. He did know he didn't want her to leave. He thought he'd lighten up a little so he smiled and tried to be non-threatening, but he was out of practice. "Please, sit?" he said in a voice that was a little too high. She wasn't getting away from him that fast, though, not if he could help it. He wanted more time with this girl so he figured his best bet was to let her know up front he was interested in her. If Eric wanted a woman, he left her in no doubt of it. That's why Eric got the women he wanted.

"So, Bill" he said, never taking his eyes off Sookie as she sat down. She must be a little scared, he figured, because she won't let go of Bill's hand. "Are you quite attached to your "friend?""

"She is mine." Compton was trying to be scary. Eric would laugh at him but he had other things on his mind. Like those breasts…

"Yes, I am his." Sookie said too quickly and too forcefully. Eric didn't believe it, and was determined that he was going to find out if this were true or not.

"What a pity… for me." He was letting her know in no uncertain terms that he wanted her right now and that he wasn't buying it. She looked at him with big eyes as he licked his lips. He couldn't tell if she knew what he was asking Bill, but he was thinking maybe she didn't. She was brave, but she was apparently new to vampire culture. She looked unspoiled and she was completely open, which was rare in those used to being around his kind. Eric made up his mind that at some point in the near future, he was going to fuck Sookie Stackhouse, Bill's or not. "Sit with us." He looked at Bill, daring him to say no, "We have catching up to do, you and I. It has been too long."

"Yes," Bill said, knowing he didn't dare say no, and also knowing that bringing Sookie into this bar was a huge tactical error. The Queen had sent him to do something, and now he would fail. Eric would take her. He knew it. 'Look at the way he's looking at her,' Bill thought, 'he's practically drooling on her. Why did I bring her here!?'

Eric looked Sookie up and down slowly. She was petite but she had long, very pretty legs and those breasts were just begging to be kissed. Eric decided he could happily spend hours just watching her breathe. What the fuck was she doing with Bill Compton? He didn't think it would be hard to take her away from him, though, if he decided he wanted to. Did he want to?

"We have to get out of here." Sookie said out of nowhere.

"Sookie," Bill started to warn her but she kept talking.

"Eric the cops are coming. There's going to be a raid."

"Tell me you're not an undercover cop?" He'd kill Compton if he brought a cop in here.

"I'm not but that man in the hat is."

"Even if you're right, we do nothing illegal here." OK, that was bullshit, but Eric wouldn't run no matter what was going on. How did she know all of this?

"There's a vampire named Taryn in the Ladies' Room with that man you kicked before. She's feeding on him."

"How do you know this?" Pam insisted. Eric wanted to know that, too.

Sookie's eyes got big and she hesitated and Eric caught Bill shaking his head in his peripheral vision. Who was this woman?"

Just then the police did break in.

"Follow me," Eric decided to play hero, so he showed them an escape route. "I enjoyed meeting you, Miss Stackhouse. You will come again."

Shit! Now he was going to have to spend the night dealing with the fucking cops. Were there no other bars in Shreveport? Why were they always pulling this shit on his bar? They rarely found anything. He'd wait an hour then he'd go back and straighten things out. Sookie… Wait. Sookie? Why was he thinking about Sookie when his bar was being raided?

How did she know about Taryn and that human? How did she know about that cop? Was this girl psychic? A Witch? He didn't get close enough to be sure but he could have sworn she had an unusually sweet scent about her. Shit! Why did those cops have to break in now of all nights. If that girl had powers, he needed to know what they were. She apparently lived in his Area, so technically, he should control her, whatever she was and whatever she could do. That's right, he decided – she was his by rights, no matter what Compton was to her. She was more than just a woman. She was valuable – an asset that rightfully belonged to him.

He wracked his brain. What exactly did she do? Was it precognition or telepathy? He'd known people who could do both over the course of his thousand years, but they were normally Witches or Fae. She didn't seem to be either. Whatever she was, he couldn't stop thinking about her. When he went to rest that morning he kept having visions of that glorious blonde hair in the lights on the stage, that luscious cleavage, those big eyes. And that attitude! She never did really show fear. Hell, Compton showed more fear than she did.

That little white and red dress haunted him. How long had it been since he'd seen a flesh and blood woman dressed in anything but black, or jeans and a t-shirt? It was so feminine and it fit every curve of her just so. He wondered if she'd taste as sweet as she smelled? Had she ever been bitten? He didn't see any marks on her, and he looked pretty closely. They could be on her inner thigh, of course, but he didn't let himself dwell on the idea of Compton between her legs or he wouldn't be able to keep himself from going to his house and staking him. Why he should feel such an inclination, he had no idea, but he refused to dwell on it.

The thought of all that femininity and attitude being wasted on the likes of Compton was too much to live with. One way or another, Eric had to see her again. Compton claimed to own her, so let's test that claim, he thought. He had been planning to address Long Shadow's thievery for some time now, but the perfect moment hadn't presented itself. Maybe this was why he hadn't just staked him and been done with it? He needed an excuse to draw Sookie back into his lair, and Long Shadow was as good as any.

"Sookie," he said aloud. What kind of name was that? He'd never heard it before. He told himself that finding out what she could do was his job as Sheriff. He refused to think about he fact that being Sheriff had nothing to do with why he was dreaming about watching her breathe. He'd managed to rationalize this new sense of entitlement he felt toward Sookie Stackhouse and knew that it was just a matter of time before she was his, and his alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**[Author's Note: OK, what was supposed to be a one-shot is now going to be a trilogy of sorts. This is part 2 and I'm working on part 3 now. I'm not planning to take it farther than that, but there's not a lot of planning in my writing – I just go where the Viking leads me. Enjoy!]**

**If Only**

Pam turned Eric's rearview mirror toward herself and checked her lipstick as the Corvette screamed around the corner.

"OK, now, explain to me again why we left the club?" she asked

"It seemed to be the thing to do…"

"You mean it seemed like what _she_ wanted you to do…"

"We'll give the police a little time to harass the patrons, then we'll go back and calm them all down. There are RMs in the armrest there if you're thirsty."

"You do realize you failed to make her cry?"

"I didn't have a full 10 minutes."

"I thought that was more than ten minutes. It seemed more like 15."

"It was less than 5, I'm sure. We barely got started."

"What exactly were we starting?" Pam couldn't resist teasing Eric when he was trying to gloss over something like his attraction to this blonde girl. He was trying to act detached, but she wasn't buying it.

"The conversation."

"Oh, is that what that was? So you think if you had what you would agree was a full 10 minutes that you could have made Sookie cry?"

"If I really wanted to, yes, of course. I decided early on, however, that it might be better to befriend her and find out more about her gifts."

"You knew about her gifts early on?" Pam felt everything in the car shift as Eric sped around another corner. He was apparently making a big circle.

"Come, now, Pam, we both knew she was neither human nor vampire…"

"True, she didn't seem quite human. So how do you suppose she knew about the police? I'm quite sure she's not a policewoman."

"No, certainly not. She was far too innocent to have been a police officer."

"Innocent? Are you sure about that?"

"Not yet, but I'll know very soon. You memorized her address, of course?"

"Yes, of course. Should I add her to the mailing list?" She was going to make him ask for it directly.

"And…?" Eric was becoming irritable. Why was Pam asking so many damned questions?

"I'll enter it into the computer when I get back to the office."

"What was her address, Pam?"

"She's not really local…"

"Pam…"

"Hummingbird Lane in Bon Temps. Does anybody really _live_ in Bon Temps? I can't imagine it. Isn't it rather… backward?"

"I'm sure it must be or she would never waste her time with Compton. I'm sure that's indicative of the lack of suitable companions in the area. She didn't seem the type to go for a drunken redneck or a tight-laced bible thumper, and those are the only varieties she's likely to encounter there."

"She didn't seem to want to let go of his hand when she sat down. Maybe she likes Bill…?" Pam knew this was eating at Eric.

"I am sure that, compared to the dregs of Bon Temps, Compton stands out. Among vampires, of course, he'd hold little interest for such a woman. My guess would be that he is the first vampire she has ever encountered."

"Is it even possible to be so isolated? Surely there must be some in that area?"

"Bon Temps is not nearly as progressive as Shreveport."

"Shreveport is "progressive?"

"Compared to a backwater like Bon Temps, yes, it is. I'd never be able to run a business in that area without constant harassment by locals. In Shreveport, we only have an occasional run-in with authorities, but the church groups and other fanatics don't pay much attention to us aside from the occasional bomb threat. We'd encounter a good deal more violence in an area like that."

"Alright, I can understand how a person might be born in an area like that, but I don't understand how a person could stay in such an area. She's 25, after all."

"Yes, I find that strange as well. I would expect a woman like that to move on to bigger and better things once she reached adulthood. Perhaps she has family obligations that keep her there? That's only the first of many questions I'd like to know the answers to," Eric was talking to himself now, not really thinking about what he was saying in front of Pam. "There is so much I want to know…"

"So you're planning to call Bill Compton, I take it, and ask about his little friend? You're his Sheriff, after all, you can order him to give her to you, even if she is his…"

"She'll come to me of her own accord."

"She will?" Pam was amused at his determination. She hadn't seen him this way in a long, long time.

"Absolutely." Eric turned back into the lot behind Fangtasia.

The police were checking the last of the IDs carried by Fantasia's patrons and had only cited two people for exchanging blood in public and sex in one of the bathroom stalls. Eric recognized a Sergeant from a previous raid who had been reasonable, and he approached him with confidence and courtesy.

"Good evening, Sergeant Chaffins. Did you find everything in order?"

"A little sex and blood in the bathrooms, but that could happen anywhere. We handed out some tickets and we'll have to give you a written warning, but other than that, everything seemed fine."

"Is this going to become a monthly event?"

"I hope not. There's real crime we need to be spending time on. We've never caught an under-aged person in this bar and the only "crimes" we've ever encountered were consensual acts between adults. I honestly don't know why they keep sending us in here." That wasn't true and he and Eric both knew it.

"The upcoming election might have something to do with it, I suppose. I don't blame your men, Sergeant, I know that there are members of the City Council who think being tough on us will gain votes for them."

"Have you ever considered getting involved in local politics? Maybe you should run against Slater next time around."

"I'm a business man – I don't aspire to political authority, though it would be nice to have a vampire on the council. We are wholly unrepresented."

"Listen, I can't tell you this officially, and I'm not going to name any names, but you might want to spread a little money around. A few well-placed campaign contributions would probably save us all a lot of grief."

"Yes, I think you might be right. I'll do some research and see if I can't make life a little easier on us all. Would you and your men like to stay for a drink, on the house?"

"No, thanks, Mr. Northman, we're on duty and we need to get back to the precinct and file our paperwork. You wouldn't believe how much paperwork one of these stupid raids generates."

"I can imagine. Well, thank you for making it as painless as possible."

"Thanks for your cooperation. Have a good night." Officer Chaffins shook Eric's hand and went back to the other officers who were preparing to leave. Eric walked around and apologized to the humans for any inconvenience and handed out some drink tickets and free admission tickets so they could come back another night. He was scary when he needed to be, and gracious when it seemed profitable. He left Pam in charge and went home for the evening, no longer thinking about the book he was planning to read.

It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when he drove his car into his garage and then took to the sky. He flew at a leisurely pace so it took him about 15 minutes to get to Bon Temps. It was a nice night, after all and he didn't have a specific timetable. He was sure he'd be back to his house before dawn, and if not, there's always the ground, though he preferred not to shelter there if he could help it. He didn't like getting dirt in his hair.

He was outside of Bon Temps when he spotted a car that reminded him of the car Bill had had when they last crossed paths in New Orleans. He followed it and found it went off the road in a very deserted area that were illuminated only by distantly placed lights of the sort that come on automatically at dark. Apparently there were only two houses in the immediate area and one of them had the porch light on as Bill got out of his car and went to the passenger door.

Eric hovered over the trees as he watched Sookie and Bill fight on her front porch. Eric laughed to himself. He had already managed to turn her off. From what he could glean from the argument, Sookie was unimpressed with Bill's friends – not surprising, considering the young trash Eric had seen him with, like that tacky Diane who made Eric's flesh crawl – he threatened a cop in front of her and scared her to death and the moron didn't even let her pick the music on the car radio. What guy doesn't know to let the girl pick the music in the car? Tuvan throat singing? Eric had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud.

The gist of the fight was that Bill and Sookie had nothing in common. Eric shook his head. He'd almost feel sorry for Bill if he didn't have a claim on something Eric wanted. Bill was apparently too young to understand how to tailor his personality to the girl, rather than try to change the girl to fit his personality. Not that Eric would lie to Sookie, but he knew better than to scare a girl so early in the process of seduction, and he was quite sure this was early in Bill's relationship with Sookie from the way she was describing things. Eric just hoped this hadn't turned her off of vampires for good.

Bill left in a huff and Eric moved closer to the house as Sookie turned off the porch light and locked the front door. He could hear her lightly running up the stairs and saw the light go on in the room at the back of the house. Eric could hear another human breathing, apparently asleep, so there was someone else in the house.

He moved silently around to Sookie's room, staying back a bit in case she was next to the window when he got there. She was standing in front of her closet, taking off that lovely dress. Oh, Yes! It was far too brief but Eric got a glimpse of those perky breasts as she stripped off the dress and put on a thin cotton gown in a pale pink color that was as delicate as the girl wearing it. Suddenly, she looked at the window and Eric moved quickly into the shadow of the house.

Sookie opened the window and looked out. She saw movement in the shadows, but she couldn't see what or who was out there. "Bill, is that you?"

"I am not Bill."

Sookie gasped and jumped back from the window. Her mind was racing. Someone was out there.

'No, that's impossible! I'm on the second floor!' She thought quickly trying to picture the outside of the house and reassuring herself that there was no porch roof or anything a person could use to climb up to her window. She could hardly breathe.

"Sookie?" the deep, soft voice spoke to her. He knew who she was! She panicked and turned her light off. She wanted to lock the window but she was afraid to go near it. Every possible scenario was running through her mind – rape, abduction, a stalker, or an unknown admirer wanting to serenade or seduce her. OK, she decided that one came from reading too many romance novels. Whoever this was, he knew her name and he wasn't coming in yet. Maybe he couldn't? She suddenly remembered Bill telling her that a vampire can't enter your home without an invitation. Was there a vampire outside her window? What if someone followed her home from Fangtasia?!

She thought for a minute. There were tons of willing donors at Fangtasia, so why would anyone follow her, knowing she was with Bill? Suddenly, Bill's words, "you look like vampire bait" came back to her. Was she more desirable than the other scantily clad women at Fangtasia? How could that be? She didn't fit in there at all.

"Sookie, come to the window," the voice called softly to her. Her heart was pounding.

"If you're trying to glamour me, you're wasting your time. That doesn't work on me."

"So I noticed. If it did I'd already be in your room."

"What do you want? I don't even know you."

"Have you forgotten me already, Sookie? We just met a few hours ago."

Who did she meet tonight? Pam, Long Shadow, Eric. It certainly wasn't Pam. Long Shadow was scary and asked Bill if she was his meal – eww! Eric was – oh, my god, she thought, what if it's ERIC!? She closed her eyes, remembering how beautiful Eric was sitting on his throne under the lights. She could barely breathe in his presence and she was terrified the whole time she was near him that Bill would see her attraction to him. She didn't even know a woman could want a man so intensely without even knowing him. The force of her own attraction to Eric stunned her. She was glad he didn't have a chance to ask her to leave Bill because she couldn't honestly say what she'd have done if he did.

"Come to the window, Sookie."

"Eric, is that you?"

Eric smiled. She knew it was him. This was progress. "Yes, Sookie, I wanted to make sure you got home safely. You left rather abruptly."

It was ERIC! Why would he follow her?! What was he doing here?

"I –I, uh,"

"I hope that little visit by the police won't keep you from coming to see us again."

"Oh, no, that was, uh," she couldn't think of what to say to him.

"Sookie, you know I can't come into your house without an invitation, don't you?"

"Yes, I know that."

"Do you have a chair in there? Bring it by the window and talk to me. I can't hurt you."

"Why are you here?"

"You left too soon. We didn't get to talk. I told you I wasn't finished with you." His voice was smooth dark chocolate.

Guh! Her panties were dripping. Women just don't feel this way about men they've just met, right? How is it possible to feel such… such LUST for a man just because he's beautiful?! Please, don't let him ask me to invite him in because I think I might actually do it!

"How did you know where I live? Did you follow us?"

"No, I didn't, I had to take care of matters with the police. Pam told me your address and I thought I'd drop by and see if you were alright. Are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, I'm just…"

"Do you have a chair there, Sookie?'

"Yeah, I do, but…"

"Come sit by the window and we'll talk."

"I'm not dressed."

"I won't peek."

"Yes, you will," Sookie said with absolute conviction.

Eric laughed softly, "yes, I suppose I will. You have a robe, have you not?"

"Yeah, but it's hot."

"Now you're making excuses. I thought you liked me, Sookie. Was I mistaken?"

"I don't know you well enough to like or dislike you, Eric, we just met."

"It would seem only fair, since I've come all this way, for you to sit with me a few minutes and talk."

Eric heard her walk softly across the room and he heard the leg of a chair scrape the floor. She set the chair near the window and sat down, and Eric drew near the side of the house, resting his forearms on the windowsill. "There now, isn't that better. Now we can chat for a bit." He was pleased to notice she hadn't covered up the thin gown she was wearing. His mouth was watering but he tried to keep his fangs from coming down.

"I don't understand why you're here. There were lots of girls in the club that wanted you…"

"Yes, but I didn't want them. Do you want to know a secret, Sookie?"

"Uh, I guess so." Why was this beautiful vampire at her window telling her secrets? Was this a dream?

"I don't like women in black clothes. They bore me and they usually wear too much make-up."

"Bill said I looked like vampire bait…"

"That's a crude way to put it. You looked very pretty and feminine in that red and white dress. Any man would have noticed you."

"Most of them wouldn't follow me home, though."

"True, but I am not most men."

"No, you're a vampire."

"I'm more than that, Sookie. I'm much, much more than that, and I'd like to be more than that to you."

"You don't even know me."

"But I want to. That's very rare."

"What do you mean?"

"Most people don't interest me. You interest me."

"Because I wore a dress to your club?"

"That's only one of many reasons. How did you know about the police?"

"Oh, uh…"

"Don't lie to me so early in our relationship, Sookie. You be honest with me, and I'll be honest with you, alright?"

"Alright…" Yeah, she was thinking to herself, like I could say 'no' to you!

"Now, I know you have at least one of two skills. You are either gifted with precognition or telepathy. Which is it?"

"Telepathy."

"So you hear thoughts?"

"Yes."

"Can you hear my thoughts?"

"No, it doesn't seem to work with vampires. That's why I like you all so much."

"But it works with humans?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"As far as I know."

"Interesting."

"Is that why you followed me home?"

"No, it's not."

"Well then, why are you here?"

"I wanted to know if you were telling me the truth."

"When did I have a chance to lie to you?"

"You said you were Bill's human. That wasn't true, now, was it, Sookie?"

"Well…"

"You've never had sex with Bill Compton, have you, Sookie? Be honest."

"Well, no, not yet."

"Who have you had sex with, Sookie?"

"That's none of your business!"

"What would it take to make it my business?"

"Huh?"

"What kind of relationship would you and I have to develop for it to be my business?"

"There isn't one. Even if I married someone, who I was with before him would be none of his business."

"Have you ever been married?"

"No," she said as if it were ridiculous.

"Have you got any children?"

"No, of course not!" She was a little offended by that question, and Eric took that to be a very good sign, indeed.

"Who else is asleep in the house?"

"My grandmother. She raised me."

"Where are your parents?"

"They died when I was little."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have siblings?

"I have a brother but he has his own place. Why are you asking me all of these questions?"

"I'm curious. I want to know more about you."

"Do I get to ask you questions?"

"Yes, if you'd like."

"How old are you? Bill said you were the oldest thing in Fangtasia."

Eric snorted a bit, "I suppose to a youngster like Bill, I seem very old indeed."

"How old _are_ you?" Sookie said with wonder in her voice. Bill was a youngster?! Holy hell!

"This is a secret – you promise not to tell?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly, her eyes huge as she looked into Eric's pretty blue eyes. He's so beautiful!

"I'm over a thousand years old."

"That's not possible!"

"It is not only possible, it is a fact. Have you ever read about the Vikings?"

"Yeah – big, scary blond warriors who sailed on ships and raided settlements all over Europe?"

"I was one of them, over a thousand years ago."

"But you're so pretty!" The words were out of Sookie's mouth before she realized what she was saying.

Eric smiled softly at her. "You think I'm "pretty?"" He teased her.

She got just a little defensive. "Well, you know what I mean – weren't they big hairy beasts?"

"Some of them. Am I not hairy enough to be a Viking?"

"Well, you've got long hair, but it looks soft, and you don't have a big beard. You aren't rough looking."

"I was back then. Standards of grooming have changed a great deal since then. We didn't have razors and shampoo and conditioners for hair as we do now. Life was very hard then."

"That's what Bill said when I said he looked older than he said he was."

"What – that life was harder?"

"Yes."

"Bill has no idea what hard really is. He lived in relatively modern times. He has no concept of the hardships we endured."

"He told me vampires get stronger and more powerful as they get older."

"That's true."

"You, you're even stronger than Bill?"

"Many times over."

"Is that why he's afraid of you?"

"I'm Bill's Sheriff. He answers to me."

"Who do you answer to?"

"My Queen."

"There's a vampire Queen?"

"Several, actually, and Kings, too."

"In America?"

"Everywhere. We are all over the world."

"Where does your Queen live?"

"New Orleans. Would you like to go to her estate? I can get us an invitation to her next party."

"A vampire party?"

"Yes, of course."

"Would there be humans there?"

"Oh, yes, she always has humans around, especially young, attractive ones."

"Is she beautiful?"

"Very."

"Would I be safe there?"

"If you were with me, you would be very safe, Sookie. I wouldn't allow anyone to hurt you."

"It's all so different…"

"Different than what you are used to?"

"Yeah."

"Bill is the first vampire you ever met, yes?"

"Yes. I mean, I met some others at his house the other day, but they were just awful!"

"Was one of them named Diane?"

"Eww, yes! You know them?"

"I know of them, which is more than I care to know. They're very young and trashy – not really worth my time."

"Am I worth your time?" She was surprised how much she wanted to know the answer to that question.

"I don't consider our time together wasted – do you?"

"No, I don't."

He smiled at her softly, pleased that his powers of seduction had not deteriorated. "When you said you were Bill's, do you know what that meant?"

"That other vampires can't feed from me?"

"It means a little more than that, Sookie. I was afraid you might not understand what you were saying. You were allowing him to claim that you belonged to him sexually."

"What?!"

"That's why I asked if he was attached to you. If you were his human, I could order him to share you with me, or to give you to me, if I wanted."

"So you wanted to…"

"…taste you, and get to know you, but I must admit, I didn't believe either of you when you said you were his. Everything about you seems… untouched."

"You mean dumb?"

"No, not at all. Just not experienced in the vampire world. You seemed innocent."

"I'm not a little girl and I'm not stupid."

"If you were either of those things, Sookie, I would not be outside your window."

She blushed when he said that, and couldn't look him in the eye. "I still don't understand why you're here and I don't understand why I'm sitting here talking to you."

"Do you believe in fate, Sookie?"

"Fate? I don't know – I never thought about it much."

"What would you say if I said I think you met Bill Compton so he would bring you to my bar to meet me?"

"I'd say that's a pretty good line, but it's still a line."

"You don't believe me?"

"I'm a human girl, talking to a vampire who claims to be a thousand years old, who is hovering outside my bedroom window just hours after I was introduced to him. Most people would think I'm crazy for not locking the window and hiding until dawn."

"You are not most people, any more than I am most men."

"I don't know how you can possibly mean that."

"Let's look at this logically, Sookie. If I wanted a meal, I had many options in Shreveport, did I not?"

"Yes, you did."

"If I believed you were Bill's and I wanted blood or sex, I'd have ordered him to give you to me, would I not?"

"Maybe, but you didn't really have time to do anything but ask us to sit down."

"True, we were interrupted. Would you believe me if I told you that by the end of the evening, I would have figured out if you really belonged to Bill or not?"

"Yeah, I can believe that."

"So by the end of the night, I would have known that you do not belong to Bill Compton. Now, Sookie, tell me, why would I care?"

"That's the part I don't get."

"You underestimate yourself, Sookie. Do you not realize how attractive you are?"

"So you're here because you want me for what?"

"Companionship, perhaps. As you said, I don't know you yet. All I know is that I want to know more. That hasn't happened in a very long time."

"But if I was yours, then could other people order you to share me or take me from you?"

"Others might try, but I wouldn't allow it."

"How do I know that?"

"You'd have to trust me, Sookie."

"It's awfully soon for that."

"Yes, it is. I don't know if I can trust you, either."

"There's nothing I could do to hurt you, though."

"You're underestimating yourself again."

"But…ahhhh-hhhh" Sookie let out a big yawn.

"It's very late, and you are getting sleepy."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"What are you doing tomorrow night, Sookie?"

"I have to work…"

"Where do you work?"

"Merlotte's. It's a bar and grill a few miles from here."

"What is your job there?"

"I'm a waitress."

"I thought you had a brother – is he younger than you?"

"No, he's older."

Eric stopped to think about that for a minute, but he quickly got refocused. "What time will you get home tomorrow night?"

"About 8 pm. I have the early shift."

"What if I meet you back here tomorrow night at 8:30 and we will talk some more?"

"You just want to talk?"

"Yes, is that so strange?"

"You don't want to like, go to a movie or on a date or something? I mean…"

"Are you asking if I want to date you?" He liked the sound of that.

"I guess I'm asking what your interest in me is."

"I would think you'd consider it far too early for me to answer that question."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"I have enjoyed our talk, Sookie and I want to talk some more. If I come back tomorrow, will you open the window and talk to me?"

"Yeah, I guess… I mean, why not?"

"Alright, one more question and I'll say good night."

"OK…"

"Have you ever ingested Bill Compton's blood?"

"Yeah, actually, a lot of it."

"How did this come about?"

"I was attacked and he saved my life."

"Who attacked you?"

"People who tried to drain him to sell his blood. I stopped them and they came back and tried to kill me."

"So these people targeted you after you saved Bill from them?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting. Alright, then, I will see you back here, tomorrow night, at 8:30. Agreed?

"Agreed."

"Good night, Sookie. Have pleasant dreams." He was gone in an instant.

Sookie went to bed but she knew she wasn't going to sleep any time soon. She felt like she was on fire. She was attracted to Bill when she met him, but it was nothing like this. She guessed that with Bill, it was more curiosity – he was something new and different. After spending some time around him, though, she really didn't feel any real compatibility with him, especially after the crap he pulled with that poor cop. Tuvan throat singing? What the fuck!?

Eric! She felt like her whole body was alive in a way she never felt before. Not that she didn't get a thrill from Bill – he was definitely sexy, but what she felt for Eric was overwhelming. She was both relieved and disappointed when the club was raided. She was relieved because if Eric had patted his lap, she'd have hopped right up there and to hell with William Compton. She was disappointed because she wanted to know more about Eric and to see if he was going to continue to show an interest in her. He as much as told Bill he wanted to have sex with her, right? And she couldn't believe she said "Yes, I am his!" It was out of her mouth almost as a reflex. She didn't want to say that to Eric, but something in her was terrified of him. She realized, though, that she wasn't afraid he'd hurt her. She was afraid of her feelings for him. She never felt anything like this before. She didn't know people could feel this way.

He came to her window! She turned over on her side and her kitty, Tina, jumped up on the bed and snuggled in next to her.

"Did you see him, Tina? Wasn't he beautiful? He had that whole club full of sexy women, but he came all the way here to my bedroom window just to talk. He has to really like me, right? It's not just because of my telepathy or anything like that – if I understand what he told me, he could just order Bill to bring me to him or whatever. But he came here! And he didn't even ask to come into the house! He was a perfect gentleman. He said he just wants to talk! I don't remember a man ever actually asking me questions like that. Most guys talk about themselves."

Eric was coming back tomorrow night. Bill – shit! She totally forgot that Bill was supposed to speak to the Descendants of the Glorious Dead tomorrow night! Well, she didn't really intend to go anyway, since she fought with Bill. There was no way in hell she was going to stand Eric up when he was willing to just stay and talk to her. Hell, hardly anybody ever talked to her. Eric didn't even mind her disability and he didn't think she was crazy. Other people would think she was crazy for trusting Eric but it just felt so natural talking to him.

A Viking vampire! How cool was that?! Even if he was exaggerating, the idea was so cool. A man like that must have been everywhere and done everything, but tomorrow night, out of all the things he could do in the world, he wanted to float outside Sookie's bedroom window and talk to her. That sounded crazy, but so what?

She felt a little giddy. Why would a man like that show so much interest in her? She wondered what he saw when he looked at her. When she looked at him, she saw power and experience and elegance and a door to a whole world she knew nothing about. Bill seemed a little bit that way at first but his glamour faded when she met those three horrible vampires at Bill's house and found out he actually slept with Diane. Eric didn't like her, either. That was a definite plus.

Eric must have been with hundreds, if not thousands of women. She couldn't believe a man with his experience cared about little Sookie Stackhouse in any shape or form but he did.

She always felt a little guilty about touching herself, but tonight there was no way around it. She needed an orgasm or she'd never get to sleep. Ok, maybe she needed two. Actually, it turned out to be three, which was a sort of "personal best" for her. After round three, she finally drifted off to sleep and before long, she was dreaming.

"Sookie, come to the window."

Sookie was standing in front of a window, but she was in a strange place. It was her room, but it wasn't, in that way that only makes sense in dreams. She was wearing a long, transparent white gown that left nothing to the imagination, but it was blowing in the wind coming through the window, as were the billowing white curtains that hung there. Sookie walked to the window and saw Eric flying there. It occurred to her for the first time that Eric could fly, and it seemed the most natural thing in the world because he was Eric and Eric could do anything. She opened the window, and he reached his hand in toward her. She took his hand and he slowly floated into the room.

"Are you the one?" she asked him, looking up into those impossibly blue eyes.

"Yes, Sookie, he's the one you are waiting for," a woman's voice, one Sookie had heard before, whispered in her ear as Eric took her in his strong arms and gave her a kiss that seemed to last for hours.

When Sookie woke up, the sun was streaming through her window, but she could swear she still felt that kiss on her lips.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Whole New Direction**

Sookie might as well have stayed home today, because she was useless at work. She felt as if her whole body was vibrating and she kept going into the ladies room to rub herself through her shorts. At one point, she actually broke down and gave herself a quick but very intense orgasm, and she was gone long enough to make Sam ask her if she was feeling OK. She told him she must have eaten something that didn't agree with her, and she prayed he couldn't see on her face that she actually did _that_ in broad daylight at work. What the hell was wrong with her?!

"So, Sookie, what'd you think of that vampire bar?" Arlene was being nosy, but Sookie didn't care. She had one thing on her mind and he made Arlene seem like nothing but static at the edge of her consciousness.

"It was interesting. It got raided, though, so we didn't stay long."

"Did they catch anybody doing anything?"

"I don't know – I forgot to ask." It occurred to her she hadn't even asked Eric what happened. She had been so focused on why he was there that she completely forgot her manners.

"So, you going out with Bill again?"

"Probably not. We didn't really have a lot in common. Things were a little weird with him and we sort of had a fight."

"Not all it's cracked up to be, huh? I heard there's a lot of freaks at that bar, and people from Arkansas."

"It was definitely different, but it was like any other bar. Most of the people you couldn't care less about, but then there's one or two that are really cool and interesting."

"You meet somebody you liked better than Bill?" Arlene really perked up now. She loved a bit of juicy gossip. Sookie dating a vampire was good for weeks of inane chatter.

"I met some interesting people, but I don't know any of them well enough to say I like one more than the other. We'll see how it goes."

"It? What it? Is it a him? Come on, Sookie, spill it!"

"Arlene, there's nothing to spill. If I have anything to report, I promise you'll be the first to know." Sookie just laughed at her. Nothing was going to bother Sookie today – she was going to see Eric in exactly 4 hours and 45 minutes and she felt like her feet weren't even touching the floor.

She had so many questions for him. What was his favorite time in history? Where was his favorite place to live? What was his greatest love – there must have been a few of those, right?

Her head was everywhere but where she was and she made one mistake after another. She took food to the wrong tables. She filled three sugar bowls with salt before she caught herself. She was mopping up a spill and hit a customer in the side of the head. She turned around too fast at one point and she and Arlene both dropped two dishes of food in the floor. She was sure she'd have lost her job today if Sam didn't have a crush on her. He kept trying to talk to her all day, but she was avoiding him because she overheard him asking Arlene if she knew whom Sookie was going to the church with tonight. She didn't want to have to explain why she was staying home and she didn't want to have to tell Sam she wouldn't go out with him and that's exactly what she heard Arlene thinking after their little chat. More than anything, she didn't want anybody to know she was going to be home alone and waiting for a huge, powerful, beautiful vampire.

The worst parts of the day were when she convinced herself that Eric was going to stand her up. She had no reason to think he would, but the part of her that was used to being "Crazy Sookie" kept telling her that there was nothing she could possibly have to offer to someone like Eric. Another part of her knew that he'd never disappoint her if he could avoid it. She didn't know why she thought that, but she did.

She kept thinking about how he asked her if she believed in fate. That line was straight out of an old movie, but it was such a cool idea. What if there were such a thing as fate and Eric and she were meant for each other? That dream she had seemed so real. When he kissed her, it felt like such a relief – like she had been holding her breath her whole life and just waiting for that moment to let it go. She laughed to herself that if nothing else ever came from meeting Eric, at least she had that amazing dream. That was more than any other guy ever gave her. When she dreamed about Bill, he just wanted to bite her.

By the time the dinner rush was over, Sookie had made so many mistakes that Sam just let her go home. He didn't reprimand her or anything like that, he just suggested that she go on home and hope tomorrow was a better day. She heard him think that he was disappointed he didn't find a minute to ask her out, but she was glad he didn't. She might consider something like that under normal circumstances, but she couldn't think about anything but the fact that Eric might be outside her window in a couple of hours.

She got home right as Gran was getting ready to head for the church. She apologized for not going, helped Gran load the cakes she had baked in the car, kissed her on the cheek and waved as she pulled down the drive. Once she was alone in the house, Sookie had a little something to eat – just some Pop Tarts and milk because she was too nervous to eat much – and she decided to take a shower so she'd be all fresh and relaxed when Eric got there. She spent extra time on her hair and she used a little extra mascara, but she was careful not to look too made up because Eric said he didn't like that.

What to wear?! She knew he liked the dress she had on the night before, but she couldn't wear that again. He said she looked very feminine in it, so she was pretty sure he liked dresses. She noticed that he liked the little nightgown she wore last night because he kept looking at it. 8:30 was too early to be in pajamas, so she finally settled on a little white sundress with delicate blue flowers on it. It was a little girly in a church picnic sort of way, but it was as far from black club wear as a girl could get.

By 7:40, she was ready. By 8:06 she was pacing the floor, counting the minutes.

Eric woke with a sense of purpose this night. He called Pam and told her she was in charge of Fangtasia tonight, saying he had some official business he had to attend to. Pam didn't say anything, but she was pretty sure Eric's official business was on Hummingbird Lane in Bon Temps. She knew when he insisted on having her address that Eric was going to pursue her in a way he hadn't since long before he made Pam. There was something different in the way she affected Eric. Pam didn't quite understand the attraction, but she knew Eric well enough to recognize his feeling of connection to Sookie.

He showered and took particular care to see that his hair looked good as it dried. He wore his long black coat with the big pockets so he could take his hairbrush with him. Flying tended to tangle it up a bit so he'd brush his hair when he got there, but before she saw him. He noticed her looking at his hair a lot last night, so he was pretty sure she liked it. A lot of girls did, and he could usually tell the ones who had a thing for guys with long hair. There were certain girls that just loved it and he had a feeling Sookie was one of those.

Sookie. He was beginning to love that strange name. It was unusual and flirty just as she was. He couldn't wait to hear her voice again. She had one of those lilting Southern accents that just made him melt. When she spoke it was almost like music to him. He had moved to Louisiana because he had seen a movie about Southern belles and he thought they were romantic and sexy. Unfortunately, they were also rare. Sookie was most definitely a Belle – she had that combination of charm and defiance with just a touch of humility that he found absolutely irresistible. She was naturally well mannered and soft spoken, even when she was standing up to him.

How long had it been since a woman stood up to him without smirking or being bitchy? Sookie didn't wilt, and that was a distinct advantage in Eric's eyes. She didn't seem afraid of him yet, though she should be, and he attributed that to her lack of experience with vampires. He took to the sky just after 7, which was too early, but he couldn't wait.

Eric landed in the woods behind Sookie's house at about 20 to 8, in spite of flying slowly, He saw some activity around the house and saw her helping a woman he assumed was her grandmother loading some things into a car. Sookie was wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts, which wasn't really to his tastes, but he got to see all of her legs in that outfit and they were very pretty. The older woman drove away and Sookie went back into the house.

Eric approached the house, zipping quickly across the yard into the shadow where the outside light didn't reach. He hovered around the side of the house, satisfying himself that Sookie was alone. He could hear her in the shower, and he floated up to the window of the bathroom. The window was clear, but she was behind curtain, so all he could see was a silhouette. A very shapely silhouette, he smiled to himself, and she was singing a bit so he hoped she was looking forward to their meeting.

She wrapped a towel around herself before she stepped out of the shower, but Eric wasn't too disappointed because he was confident he'd see all of her sooner than she'd ever imagine. She went into her room and dried her hair, playfully directing the air at the small cat that he'd seen in her room a few times. The cat seemed to like the warm air, and she was obviously friendly to Sookie. Eric hadn't been around cats in a long time, but they were sacred to Freyja so he thought it was nice that Sookie seemed so affectionate with this one.

He hung in the shadows, smiling to himself as she began to pace back and forth. She was anxious to see him, and that pleased him very much. He considered ringing the doorbell, but he preferred the intimate feeling of talking to her in her bedroom. About a quarter after 8, she slid her window up, screen and all, He clung to the side of the house, listening to her breathe, and to her heart beating quickly as she waited for him. Finally, she sat in the chair, closer to the window than last night, and she rested her hands on the windowsill. It was a little early, but he decided it was close enough to 8:30 to let her know he was there.

"Sookie?"

She jumped and her heart skipped, but she tried to sound calm, "Eric?"

He floated into view, gently resting his hand on hers, "How are you tonight, Sookie?"

"I'm fine, thanks. How are you?"

"I'm quite well, thank you. You look very pretty tonight, Sookie."

"Oh, thank you. Can you… I mean, are you able to fly?"

"Yes, I am."

"Bill told me some vampires could do that, but I never met one who could before."

"It's not a common skill. Only a few of us can do it. I'm very lucky but I didn't develop the ability until I was nearly 400 years old."

"Wow – how did you know you had it? Did you just take off one day?"

"Something like that. I was being chased and suddenly I was in the air and moving very fast. Once it happened the first time, I quickly learned to control it and to do it more slowly when I wanted and to hover in one spot."

"Is it easier to go fast than to hover?"

"Yes, much easier, though neither requires much effort these days. Would you like to fly with me someime, Sookie?"

"Is that possible?"

"Yes, if I hold you in my arms."

"Is it hard to do? Would it be a strain?"

"None at all. When you are comfortable with me, you let me know and I'll take you for a flight. I think you'll like it, but we'll make the first time a short one so you can be sure."

"How far could we fly if we had to?"

"As far as we could reach before dawn."

"How far is that?"

"Two of us, at full speed, if we started just after dark – maybe 1200 miles."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes, I can go very fast when I want to."

"So you don't need a car?"

"I don't need one, but I have one. I don't want everyone to know I can fly and I sometimes like to drive a young lady home."

"What kind of car?"

"A red Corvette."

"Wow – I guess the girls really like that, huh?"

"Yes, I suppose they do. It's a very nice car, if I do say so myself."

Sookie laughed at that and relaxed a lot.

"Would you like to go for a drive some night, Sookie? I know a very pretty spot by a lake where there are no lights, so you can see the stars very clearly. It's quite pretty there."

"That sounds nice…"

"I'll take you any time you want."

"OK."

"You would go for a drive with me?" He smiled softly at her. He was making progress.

"Yeah, I guess so. Is it hard for you to hover there like that?"

"Not too hard."

Sookie swallowed hard. This might be a big mistake, but she went for it. "Did you want to come in?"

Eric smiled. He knew she would eventually offer. Her natural tendency was to be kind and she wouldn't leave him outside for very long. "I like talking to you here."

"Oh – you wouldn't rather come in?" Sookie couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to come in. He did like her, didn't he?"

"If I come in, can we sit on your bed? You don't have another chair."

"We could sit on the couch…"

"I'd rather stay here. I like your room. It's more intimate here. Anybody could sit on your couch, but you wouldn't let just anyone come to your bedroom window, would you?"

"No, I guess I wouldn't." She really wanted him to come in. "We could sit on the bed, I guess. Please some in."

Eric floated through the window and stood very close to her so she had to look up at him. He was huge! "Thank you for the invitation, Sookie." He stroked her cheek gently and Sookie felt a little light headed and a lot horny. She wondered if he knew what she was feeling – was that possible? All she knew right now was that she wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor every time he said her name. Sookie's heart was pounding in her ears as Eric took her hand and gently led her toward the bed. He sat down and gently guided her to stand in front of him, taking both her small hands in his large ones.

"What time will your grandmother be home?"

"Maybe 10:30."

"Should I leave before then?"

"No!" Sookie said a little too fast and a little too loudly. What was she doing? "I mean, she'll go to bed right away, and we can keep talking. I don't want you to leave so early."

Eric smiled at her. He was relieved to know that he could still talk his way into a pretty girl's room. He was in plenty of girl's rooms, but they were all a little too easy. Sookie took a little effort and he was pleasantly surprised to find that she continued to seem worth such effort on his part. So far, he enjoyed every minute he spent with her. That hadn't happened in a very long time.

"Do you get along well with your grandmother?"

"Oh, yes, Gran is great. She'll like you if she ever meets you."

Was she actually considering introducing him to her grandmother? Eric couldn't remember the last time a girl wanted to tell her family about him – 250 years, maybe?

"Why do you say that?"

"She likes Bill. I think she likes vampires in general."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's very open-minded and I think she knows …" Sookie stopped mid-sentence. Should she really say this to Eric? She wanted him to like her.

"What does she know, Sookie?"

"Well, you know about my disability, right?"

"Disability?"

"Yeah, my hearing people's thoughts."

"Your telepathy? Sookie, are you calling your telepathy a disability?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Why would you say such a thing?" Eric was astounded. Surely she didn't think such a gift was a disadvantage? He spread his legs and pulled her closer to him.

"It makes mw weird," she said softly. "No one wants to be around me. Everybody thinks I'm crazy or scary or whatever."'

"Sookie, you have a miraculous gift." He slipped his hand beneath her hair and gently made her look him in the eye. "Don't let small minds make you regret who you are or what you can do. You are much finer than your surroundings."

Sookie could barely breathe. Even if he didn't mean a word he was saying, he was saying all the things she always dreamed of hearing a man say. Before she knew what she was doing, she was kissing him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against him as he stretched the kiss out into a long series of soft, sweet caresses. Sookie never felt anything so soft. Why was she trembling?

Eric could feel her shaking and he knew it was time to move forward. He stood and removed his coat, then he scooped her up, laying her on her bed and lying next to her, kissing her all the time. Sookie's brain shut down completely. She was completely overwhelmed with sensation – the feel of Eric's lips against hers, his hand in her hair and the other slowly roaming over her body, over her hips, up over her breast and back down over her waist, hip, down to her thigh and now up under her dress, his cool fingers on her smooth thigh.

There was no resistance at all when he gently tugged the band of her panties downward. He was so tall and his arms so long that he was able to slip them down off of her all the while he was kissing her. She felt her whole body open up as he slid his cool fingers back up the inside of her thigh, finding her center and gently stroking her in a way no one ever had before. He gently slipped his finger into her, meeting a small barrier much to his delight. He knew Compton was a liar.

"You are a virgin, Sookie?" He said very softly. He didn't want to jolt her out of the receptive mood she was in. "Will you yield to me?"

"Ye – yes. Is it going to hurt?'

"No, I'll go very slowly and make sure you are very ready. There will be no pain."'

"You can do that?" She looked up at him with big, trusting eyes.

"Yes, I can. Do not be afraid."

"I'm not afraid of you, Eric, or you wouldn't be here."

He smiled softly and kissed her again. And again. Sookie pulled her dress up to her waist and then up over her head as he moved between her legs. She dropped her bra on the floor as he opened her center, and she closed her eyes and let him do whatever he wanted. She couldn't say no to him if she wanted to, but she didn't want to. She had waited her whole life for this moment and she just wanted to relax into it and let it unfold.

She was trying to be still, but it was impossible with him licking her that way. Sookie had read about this, but she never imagined it felt this good. His tongue was gently teasing the little nub and his fingers gently, but firmly stretching her in a completely new way. She was really glad she took a shower and she almost laughed when that thought popped into her head.

Eric was in heaven. He expected a little more resistance, but he was pleased to find that she was very wet when he touched her and she was obviously willing. This was very good. This was the first woman in a long time that meant more than a meal and a fuck to Eric. She was so innocent that he wanted to protect her, and with her gifts, she most definitely needed protection. She'd be a target for those who would want to control her talents, and she'd need someone with Eric's power to keep her from becoming a virtual slave to some other vampire. If she were his, only the most powerful vampires would even consider trying to take her.

Eric smiled to himself as Sookie reached a quiet but deep release on his tongue and fingers. He kept stretching her with his fingers as he kissed his way back up her body. He slipped his hand back under her head and whispered in her ear as he continued to work her with his hand. "You are so sweet, Sookie. I never tasted anything so sweet."

"I think my blood tastes different, too."

"May I taste you, Sookie?"

"Please." She was so ready to say yes to Eric that it was a relief when he bit her neck and then slid gently into her as he lapped at her blood. She felt a sense of pressure that gently let go, and he was all the way in. Sookie was trying not to cry. Why was she so relieved? Was she that desperate to have sex?

No, she realized, it wasn't the sex – it was Eric. Having him inside her was the first time in her life she felt whole. This is where she was supposed to be – with him, under him, his in every way. She moaned as she felt another orgasm building. Eric smiled and watched her face as she closed her eyes and gave herself over to it. She was so beautiful. How on earth did this beautiful creature live 25 years without ever having sex? Were the men of Bon Temps blind? Were they such fools that they couldn't see a Goddess walking in their midst? Whatever they lacked, Eric thanked the gods for it because their deficiency had delivered his Sookie to him untouched and unspoiled. She was HIS Sookie now – no one would come between them, ever. He would keep her with him always. He knew this with absolute certainty, the minute he stepped into her room. He couldn't remember ever feeling this way before.

Eric came right after Sookie did, and they lay in each other's arms quietly. He smoothed her hair back, kissing her face, looking at her in a way he hadn't looked at a woman in several lifetimes.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him

"That you are my Sookie now, and you are the sweetest thing I have ever tasted."

"You aren't going to forget about me now, are you?"

Eric laughed. "How could I forget about you, Sookie? I've been looking for you for hundreds of years." It occurred to him that he really meant that – it wasn't a line this time.

"The other waitresses at work say that a lot of guys never call again after you sleep with them."

"I am not a lot of guys, and you are not the girls you work with. I'm not like any man you have ever known, and I don't believe you are like any woman I have ever known. I told you, Sookie, this is fate."

"You still mean that? It wasn't just a line?"

"I don't need to use "lines" to get a woman, Sookie, and I don't have to go anywhere but to my bar to get laid. I have not lied to you since I met you and I won't from this point forward. I knew when I saw you that you would be mine, and now you are. I'm not going anywhere."

"I just…"

"Shhh – Sookie. Someone is in the house."

"It's probably Gran. That's funny I didn't hear the car pull up. Let me go down and ask how the meeting went. Stay here, OK? I'm not quite ready for her to know about me having sex yet, you know what I mean? I want her to meet you without that in her head."

"Alright. I will wait here."

"'K, be right back."

She popped up and threw on the little nightgown she had worn the night before and stepped into the bathroom to clean up just a little. As Sookie started down the stairs, Eric threw his clothes on. He didn't want to scare her, but there was no car and he heard the window on the first floor being jimmied. He sneaked out into the stairway and heard her scream.

He was there instantly, grabbing the man who had a garrote around her neck and twisting his head so that his neck broke. Eric caught Sookie before she hit the ground and she threw her arms around him, crying and coughing.

"Oh my god, Eric, if you hadn't been here I'd be dead!"

"Are you hurt, Sookie? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"I don't know – can you see a mark on my neck?"

"A little. If you want, I can feed you my blood and there will be no sign that it ever happened."

"Wait – is he dead? Who is it?"

"He's quite dead," Eric said as he bent over and pulled the ski mask off the intruder.

"Oh my god, it's René!"

"You know him?"

"Yes, I do! He's my friend Arlene's fiancé! I can't believe he tried to kill me!"

"Your grandmother will be home soon, Sookie, we must decide. Do you want to call the police, or do you want me to get rid of the body and erase the signs that he was here?"

"You can do that?"

"Yes, but you must decide quickly. If you call the police, you'll have to explain why I was here and they'll have to decide whether to charge me for killing him."

"Oh, god! I don't want you to get in trouble!"

"They would probably consider it justifiable homicide, but I am vampire and law enforcement is often unsympathetic toward my kind."

"You're right. Feed me your blood and get rid of the body."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, hurry, before Gran comes home."

Eris tore his wrist and Sookie drank from it, latching on tightly as soon as she tasted it. Eric's blood was warm and sweet compared to Bill's, and it was one of the best things she ever tasted. Once he managed to disengage her from his arm, he picked René up off the floor. "I'll be back soon. I'll come to your bedroom window in case your Grandmother comes back."

"OK, be careful!" She kissed him hard and he smiled to himself even as he was getting rid of the body. He found the man's car on the other side of the woods that stretched through the graveyard, and put the body inside, smashing his head into the windshield to make it look like that's what killed him. He dropped the man in his car into a lake in the second county to the west, opening the windows so it filled with water quickly. He guided it downward so it went into the deepest part of the lake, then he flew back to Sookie's house.

The light was on in the enclosed back porch and there was an old station wagon parked outside it. Eric concluded this was the grandmother, so he silently flew into Sookie's bedroom window and waited for her. He could hear the two of them talking, Gran being very excited with how well Bill's speech to the club went.

Eric could tell it would be a while, so he picked up Sookie's cell phone and put his home, work and cell numbers in it. In the area where you could put a little notation on the address, he input "Sookie's lover," then he added her cell and home numbers to his phone then looked for the number at Merlotte's, too. He took advantage of the time alone to snoop around her room a bit, taking note of the books she had borrowed from the library, the three Carmex lip balms in a dish on her dresser, and her shoe and dress sizes. He crawled around her bed and hit pay dirt – he found her diary. He turned directly to her entry from the night before:

_Dear Diary._

_I met the most amazing man tonight. I wanted to find something that might help my brother get out of trouble with the police, who still think he killed those girls, so I got Bill the vampire to take me to this vamp bar called Fangtasia. As soon as we got a drink and got seated, I saw him. I slipped and said "who's that?" a little too enthusiastically and I know Bill knew I was attracted to him, though I tried to deny it. I guess he's a really old, powerful vampire, because other vampires sort of answer to him. He was so sexy and huge and so scary up on that stage. He has really pretty long blonde hair that glistens in the lights and unbelievably blue eyes. He actually summoned us to come talk to him and he already knew my name when I got there. _

_I could hardly breathe! When he asked me to sit down, I was almost giddy, but I was trying to hide it so I didn't hurt Bill's feelings. I swear, if he'd patted his lap, I'd have jumped right up there! He's mad sexy and he's got that sort of quiet power about him. They actually call him Master! How sexy is that?_

_Anyway, the club got raided, which was good and bad because I don't know what I'd have done if he asked me to leave Bill. No, I'm lying. I'd have dropped Bill in a New York minute! Shh – don't tell!_

_Anyway, later tonight, he came to my window! His partner or assistant or whatever, Pam, memorized my address when she carded me and he came to find me. I had just had a fight with Bill because he was a dick to some poor cop on the way home, and my nerves were already on edge from having to leave Eric without talking to him and from that damned Tuvan throat singing that sounded like gargling. Bill's taste in music sucks. _

_Anyway, Eric said he wants to come back and talk to me tonight. Can you believe it? He just wants to hang at my window and talk! I hope he does more than that though. I swear, I never felt this way about a man before. He's so beautiful, it hurts. I didn't even know women got hot for guys this way. I think he might be the one. I don't want to seem easy though, because I'm so not that kind of girl, but he's so huge and powerful, he'd have to be good in bed, right? _

_Ooh, I can't wait to see him again! I'll write more tomorrow! _

_PS, I totally forgot – he doesn't like girls that wear black clothes and vampire makeup. He likes feminine girls in dresses like I like to wear. How cool is that?!_

Eric skimmed a few other pages, picking up on the fact that she loved stuffed animals, the color pink, dark chocolate candy, fancy coffee and mystery novels with hot sex scenes. He also saw one line that he was pretty sure was an allusion to the fact that she occasionally pleasured herself. Good to know. He put the book back exactly where he found it, feeling rather smug and confident that she was, indeed, already HIS Sookie.

Feeling maybe a little too entitled, he stripped off his clothes and got into her bed to wait. It wasn't long before he heard her say good night to her grandmother and come back up the stairs. She came in and locked the door, happy to see him still there.

"Oh, good, I was afraid you'd get bored and leave."

"I don't get bored easily. I can be very patient."

"Oh, that's good," she surprised him as she quickly stripped off her nightgown, leaving her naked, and slid into bed next to him. He hadn't expected her to be so casual about nudity, not that he was complaining.

"You are a vision, Sookie," he said as he moved over her. "I never felt anything so soft as your skin, and I never tasted anyone so sweet. You are like a dream."

"Do you always talk that way?"

"Actually, I never talk this way."

"You don't?"

"No, I am rarely so inspired," he teased her as he nipped at her neck a little and made her giggle. He moved down to take her nipple in his mouth and she couldn't believe how good it felt. He came back up to whisper in her ear. "I want you to come to my house."

"Do you have a lot of girls over?"

"Not one since I've lived here. I don't like groupies knowing where I live."

"What would we do there?"

"Fuck as loudly as we want."

Sookie laughed almost too loudly. "I can't believe you said that!"

"The first time was very gentle because it had to be. Now we must be very quiet so we don't wake your Grandmother. At my house, I will show you what's possible when there are no such restrictions."

"You wouldn't hurt me, though, right?"

"I will never hurt you, Sookie. I will make you feel good in ways you've never imagined."

"You already did."

"I can do more."

Sookie giggled at that. What he already did was pretty damned good. She couldn't think of what to say so she kissed him, and he followed her lead and stopped talking. He made love to her for hours, over and over, until about half an hour before dawn.

"I should go, Sookie"

"Oh, yeah, I guess you have to, huh?"

"I will come back. You work in a bar, yes? Do you have Mondays off?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Come to my house Sunday night, and stay until Tuesday."

"Um, OK, I'll have to explain it to Gran… don't worry, though, I'll figure it out!"

"My address is in your phone and all of my numbers. Call me anytime you want. I will call you every night, and I'll come here at night when I can, alright?"

"Yeah, please!"

"My Sookie." He smiled at her again, and gave her a long, soft, deep kiss, then he was gone.

Sookie slept late the next morning, only waking up when she heard someone knock at the door. Gran got it, but she could tell Gran was excited about whatever it was.

"Sookie, honey, are you awake yet? You got a special delivery!"

"I did?" Sookie popped up, laughing when she realized she was still naked. She stretched, feeling sort of pleasantly sore, and threw on a pink cotton gown that was a good deal heavier than the one she wore when Eric was with her. She bounced down the stairs, wondering what she got.

"WOW! How many are there?"

"Looks like two dozen. Are they from Mr. Compton?"

Two dozen gorgeous pink roses! Sookie opened the card. "This is the beginning. Love, Eric."


	4. Chapter 4

**[Author's Note: **Alright, this story started as a one shot, then people convinced me to write more which is why Chapter 1 doesn't jive with 2 & 3. Then, I got snowed in with no electricity for a day and a half, and several days with no Internet access. So I've been writing to pass the time. Enjoy!

Oh, and about Eric. He's a little mushy up to this point, but rest assured, badass Eric will show up, with a vengeance, in subsequent chapters. He knows exactly what he's doing, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

**Adult content ahead. You have been warned**.]

**Revelations**

Sookie's mind was racing. How could she explain to Gran who these amazing flowers were from?

"Uh, no, they're from a friend of his I met night before last."

"Someone you just met? Is he a vampire?"

"Yeah, actually, he is. I'd like for you to meet him."

"What about Mr. Compton?"

"We don't really have a lot in common, and we fought the other night, like I told you. I don't really see him being more than a friend…" Sookie explained as they went into the kitchen where breakfast was cooking.

"Is he as old as Mr. Compton?" Gran said as she looked under the sink for a watering can to make sure the flowers would last a few days.

"Actually, he's a lot older. He considers Bill a youngster!"

"Oh, my!"

"He's powerful, too. I don't understand it completely, but the vampires in this area sort of report to him. They call him a Sheriff."

"Is he handsome?"

"He's the most beautiful man I ever saw, Gran."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he's really tall – maybe 6 and a half feet or so…"

"Oh, my! He must be huge!"

"He is, and he has long blonde hair and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. When I first saw him, I nearly died. Then he called me and Bill over because he wanted to meet me. I spent a lot of time talking to him night before last and last night, too…" Sookie was trying to explain this without lying, but so that Gran would understand that she got to know him a bit.

"So he already has your phone number? My, my, he must have made quite an impression. Is he very refined, like Mr. Compton?" Gran was plating the bacon that had been frying under the press.

"That's not the first word I'd think of for him. Powerful, in a quiet way, is how I'd describe him, like he's so powerful that he doesn't have to yell to get people to do what he wants. He just whispers and they do what he says."

"He sounds very important." Gran poured some grease out of the skillet and added some eggs to it.

"Yeah, he is, and he likes me, even though he sort of accidently discovered my disability. He says I shouldn't think of it that way, though, he says it's a miraculous gift," Sookie said with obvious excitement as she picked up her orange juice and drank.

Gran didn't say anything, but she was a little concerned about that. She wasn't naïve enough to assume that a powerful vampire was only interested in Sookie and not her ability. It was one of the reasons she always encouraged Sookie not to let people know what she could do. It wasn't that she was ashamed of Sookie's ability, it was that she was afraid of the people it might draw into Sookie's life. Gran didn't want her to be hurt by those that wanted to use her.

"You know, honey, you want to be careful who knows about your ability…"

"Oh, yeah, I know, but if that's all he was interested in, he could just order Bill to bring me to him."

"He could?" Gran thought that sounded very strange, but she didn't say anything as she took the biscuits out of the oven.

"Yeah, but he likes me. Really he does, I can tell. He doesn't think much of Bill and his creepy friends, actually."

"His creepy friends?"

"Yeah, I didn't tell you, but I met some of Bill's friends when I stopped by his house the other day with some phone numbers for electricians he needed. They were just awful, Gran! I couldn't believe he'd even associate with such people!"

"Oh, dear. Did he know them very well?"

"Too well for my taste. Eric thinks they're "young trash.""

"Eric – is that your new vampire's name?"

"Yeah, Eric Northman. I think he's Swedish, but from a long time ago."

"How long?"

"Well, he says he's a Viking!"

"OH, MY!"

"Just imagine how much history he's seen if he's even half that old!"

"I can't even imagine that. He must be fascinating!"

"He is. Do you think I could invite him over tomorrow night? I'm not sure he can come, of course, because it's Saturday and he owns a bar, but maybe just for a bit before he has to go to work?"

"Are you definitely planning to see him again?"

"Oh, yes. I'm pretty sure we'll be spending a lot of time together."

"Alright, then, I do want to know who you're spending time with. I can trust you to be careful, can't I, Sookie?"

"Sure, Gran, I don't want to get into anything I can't handle."

"What kind of women does he meet in his bar?" Gran brought the food to the table and they started to fill their plates.

"That's just it – he's sick of women in black clothes and vampire make-up. I was the only person there who had a tan. He said I was a "vision.""

"You did look awfully pretty that night. I was concerned that dress was a little low cut, you know."

"Oh, believe me, there were women there showing a lot more than I was. He said I looked "untouched."

That's what Gran was afraid of. The way Sookie was talking, she was pretty sure she wasn't going to stay that way. She wondered just how close they'd been already, but she'd never intrude on Sookie's privacy that way. She was 25, after all, and Gran knew she wouldn't wait much longer before she went to the next level with some man or another. At least this Eric was a business owner and seemed to have a position of authority. She wasn't crazy about him running a bar, but Sookie worked in a bar every night so she could hardly object to that. At least Sookie was willing to introduce him to her instead of sneaking around.

"Do you have to work tonight, dear?"

"Yeah, I've got the dinner shift again, so I'll be done by 9 o'clock, though. I'll call Eric and ask him if he can come over for a visit Saturday night. If he can, I'll stop off and get a carton of True Blood to serve him, OK?"

"Yes, that's a good idea. I felt terrible about forgetting about that for Mr. Compton the other night."

"He understood, though. I just want to make sure things are perfect for Eric, you know?"

"Yes, honey, I do."

"Do you need me to do anything before I lay in the sun?"

"There's some laundry to fold, if you don't mind. You know it's hard on my back to bend over to that dryer."

"OK, I'll take care of that right after breakfast. You sure you don't want me to mow the lawn, too?"

"Jason promised he'd come by and do that this afternoon. That old lawn mower is getting to where it takes some mechanical know-how to get it started."

"Yeah, he's good with stuff like that – sort of makes up for him bein' such a hound-dog. I'm surprised he's not here this morning."

"He probably got up late and had to go straight to work. He's been in a little trouble about getting in so late."

"He stays out 'til all hours with Hoyt and Catfish and then he picks up some floozy…"

"Now, Sookie, you wouldn't want him to talk that way about your gentlemen friends, would you?"

"No, but they've got some class, at least. Remember how he got in Bill's face the other night?"

"Now, sugar, he was just tryin' to be a good brother."

"No, he wasn't, he was being a bigot."

"Well, I agree, we shouldn't judge other people. He's old enough to make his own choices, though, and so are you."

"Yeah, I guess."

They chatted some about Bill's talk to the Descendants of the Glorious Dead, and Gran told Sookie what the ladies at the supermarket were saying about Jason and those girls. It wasn't looking good for him, and Sookie couldn't say that she knew who the killer was and probably which lake he was at the bottom of. René would come up missing, and the murders would stop, but would that be enough to get the suspicion off of Jason?

Sookie was trying not to relive the feeling of that man's noose or whatever around her neck as she was folding clothes on the enclosed back porch. She hadn't thought about Jason before she had Eric dump René's body – she had been so focused on protecting Eric that she just wanted it all to go away. She also had to admit to herself that Eric was awfully good at getting rid of bodies and barely had to think about what to do. That didn't bode well, and she knew it, but then she rationalized it by deciding he had lived for so many years and he was a Sheriff, whatever that meant, so he's probably had to clean up a lot of vampire messes, right? A part of her knew he had gotten rid of more than his share of human bodies, too, though, but surely that was long ago and in times when it was essential to his survival, right? You couldn't blame a person for trying to stay alive, could you?

Every time her mind went back to Eric, she felt tingly and horny. Having sex just seemed to make her want more sex, she laughed to herself as she lay on a lounge chair in the back yard. She kept pressing her lips together, enjoying the slightly bruised feeling they had from kissing so much when you aren't used to it. If she concentrated, she could feel where he had bitten her, and where he had sucked her nipple and definitely where he was between her legs. Her hootchie seemed a lot more alive than it ever had before, like it had been in hibernation all this time and then suddenly there was Eric and HELLO! It was wide-awake.

She had a nearly irresistible urge to rub herself through her bathing suit, but she didn't dare. Gran would be scandalized if she saw her doing that in broad daylight and she was in the part of the yard where anybody coming up the drive could see her. She'd never live it down if Jason even had a hint that she did that. She laughed – she didn't know how he'd react to that, but she was pretty sure it wouldn't be good. He'd either be so shocked and embarrassed that he wouldn't be able to look at her, or he'd call her a slut. The latter was more likely, she decided, but the point was moot because she was going to make herself not do that.

After about an hour, though, she got to thinking about how it felt to be under Eric, his long hair brushing her cheek as he kissed her and touched her and she slipped into the tool shed for a quickie. She was amazed at herself. Were other people like this? How did they ever get anything done?

Sookie looked at her phone and wondered if there was some way to use it to find out what time the sun would go down tonight? She knew she'd never be able to wait until she got off work to call Eric. He said she could call any time and she just had to hear his deep, smooth voice again. She figured she'd have to sneak the phone into the bathroom and pretend she had another stomachache. She laughed again, thinking Sam was going to think she had some kind of condition.

_Badass_. She decided that was the word she would use to describe Eric, but even if she'd thought of it earlier, she couldn't say that to Gran. He said if she came to his house, he'd show her what sex could be like when you didn't have to go slow or be quiet. That was scary and exciting, both, just like Eric. She was sure he wouldn't really hurt her but she also had a feeling Eric was so extremely advanced that he'd be into some kinky stuff that Sookie didn't even know about. That was big trust he was asking for – to spend Sunday night to Tuesday morning at his house. That's two nights of all the sex they wanted. She'd be by herself in his house all day Monday. What would that be like?

Sookie tried to picture what Eric's house would be like. On one hand, a guy like him would look right in a house full of black leather couches and black lacquer furniture. He said he was sick of black, though, so maybe his house was an escape from that? She pictured expensive, real wood furnishings and a den with a real bearskin rug that he killed himself. She considered that he might be like most club types and have a house that looks like no one lives in it, or worse a college dorm, but she was pretty sure that wasn't Eric's style. She would bet money that wherever Eric slept would be really nice.

"Ack!" Sookie had lost track of time and needed to be in the shower half an hour ago. She grabbed all her sunbathing stuff and ran up the stairs, then went into the bathroom and took a quick but very thorough shower, just in case. She doubted Eric would be coming by to see her tonight, but he said he'd come whenever he could so she'd better be prepared for him. That meant she shaved her legs even though she was late, and just hoped Sam wouldn't be mad. She threw her makeup into her bag and threw on a fresh uniform, then she was out the door, but had to come back because she forgot her phone. "Bye, Gran! See you tonight!"

"Have fun, Sweetheart, you be careful now! Don't go racing and get into an accident."

"I won't!" Sookie waved as she backed her crappy little yellow car out of the yard and onto the lane to the main road. She rolled into Merlotte's at 5 after 4, and Sam was watching the clock when she got there. "I'm so sorry, Sam, I was helping Gran and lost track of the time."

"Alright, let's just don't make a habit of it, alright?"

"Right, I'll get my station set up right now." Sookie did just that and when she saw Sam talking to some of the local police, she sneaked into his office and got her handbag from the drawer so she could put on a little makeup. She knew she got better tips if she wore a little mascara and pink lip gloss, and that didn't take long, so she was back before Sam finished his conversation. Sam knew she had done something, though, because he noticed she suddenly looked more together. Sookie didn't make as many mistakes today, but she kept staring at the window, practically willing the sun to go down.

Dusk seemed to last forever today, but they got a rush and by the time things slowed down it was definitely dark out. She was done for the moment and asked Arlene to cover her while she went to the ladies' room and she agreed. She managed to get her phone out of Sam's office without anyone noticing and she locked herself into the ladies room, pulling up Eric's number from the phone book. She laughed at herself because her hand was shaking. Damn! She got Eric's voice mail. She didn't want to leave a message so she just hung up and figured she'd try again later. She stowed her phone and went back to her tables to see if anyone needed anything.

Sookie was behind the bar washing glasses when she heard Arlene say "Oh, my god – is that a vampire?! He's huge!"

Sookie looked up and there was Eric, filling the doorway, looking into the room. The new girl, Kim, went up to him and asked if he'd like a table and she heard him ask to be seated in Sookie's section if she was working tonight. Sookie was frozen. Why was he here?!

"Hey, Sookie, you've got a customer on 9."

"Thanks, Kim, I'll get him," Sookie replied, already drying her hands and trying to calm down. It was weird, but whenever she saw Eric, she was shocked at how beautiful he was. She remembered him being good looking, but he was always so much more so when she was face to face with him.

"Hi," Sookie was barely able to stand still as she walked up to Eric's table with her order pad in her hand, "can I get you anything?"

"Yes, actually, I'd like a True Blood, type O if you carry it." Eric gave her a very confident but affectionate smile.

"Sure, I'll be right back with it." Sookie could swear her feet weren't even touching the floor. She heated his blood and was back at his table as soon as she possibly could be.

"You look very sweet tonight, Sookie, though that uniform hardly does you justice."

"Thanks. I tried to call you earlier but I got your voicemail."

"I was…" he leaned forward and whispered, "in the air, so I had it going straight to voice mail. It can be very hard to hear if I'm moving very quickly."

"Oh, well, it's nice to see you!"

"It's lovely to see you too, Sookie. Why were you trying to call me? Did you leave a message?"

"Oh, no, I thought I'd try again. I wanted to ask you if you were able to come meet my grandmother tomorrow night? I know you probably have to work but I really want you to meet her before she knows… you know….?"

"Yes, I think that would be lovely. What time would you like me to be there?"

"Let's see – you got here just after 7, so how about 7:30?"

"Alright, 7:30 tomorrow. I'll drive and I'll come to your front door for a change," he gave her a wicked smile. "I'm expecting Bill Compton here in a few minutes, but I wanted to assure you that, when I am done with him, no matter when I leave, I will be at your window later tonight. What time do you get off work?"

"9:00 again, but it takes a few minutes to make the shift change so I'll get home around 9:45."

"Alright, expect me some time after 10. That should give me time to conclude my business with Compton and do a few other things I need to take care of. The man staring at us from behind the bar – is that your boss?"

"Yeah, that's Sam Merlotte."

"Interesting. How much do you know about him?"

"I don't know – just that he lives out back. I don't really even know where he's from."

"You know he is interested in you, sexually?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I guess he kind of has a crush on me."

"It's a little more than that, Sookie. If he asks about me, you should tell him that you are mine now. He'll know exactly what that means."

"Do I know what it means?"

"Not completely, but you haven't any complaints so far, have you?" He gave her a smoldering look and she swallowed hard,

"No, so far, so good," she giggled at herself giving him such a lame answer. He smiled sweetly at her and started to speak, but then she said "Bill is here. I'll show him to your table."

"Thank you, Sookie,"

Oh, she just wanted to die when he said her name. How was she going to wait on tables knowing HER Eric was in the room?

"Hey, Bill, are you here to see Eric? He's over there in my section."

"Good evening, Sookie. Yes, he summoned me here, though I have no idea why." That was a lie. He could feel what Sookie was feeling - she was head over heels in love and it wasn't over him. Damn. This was not good.

"Would you like me to bring you a blood?"

"Yes, type O positive, please?"

"I'll be right there with it."

"Thank you." Bill steeled himself for dealing with Eric, knowing full well what Eric was going to tell him.

"Good evening, Bill."

"Eric – I was rather surprised that you asked me to meet you here of all places."

"Yes, well, this place claims one attraction that none other does."

"Do I need to ask?" Bill said wryly.

"Probably not. My Sookie works here, so I wanted to check it out and since I was in the neighborhood…"

"YOUR Sookie? You're sure about that?"

"Quite. You might say I've been where no man has gone before. I'm also quite sure she was never "yours" to begin with. I thought it might be best if you and I were clear on our relative relationships to Sookie Stackhouse."

"I won't believe it until I hear it from her."

"You already believe it, Bill. You can feel it in her. I know she's had your blood."

"Can you say the same thing?"

"Yes, we had our first mutual blood exchange last night. The first of many, I hope."

"Surely you're not planning…"

"Yes, I am, and the sooner the better."

"Does she know? She can't possibly understand what that would mean?"

"I'll explain it to her in my own way, in my own time. Rest assured, she'll come to it willingly, just as she has everything else."

"Why? How could she possibly be worth that to you?"

"I've spent the last two nights talking to her, Bill, and I'll be quite content to do so for many, many nights to come. There is much there to interest me. Much more than you can imagine."

"How is that possible? Did you follow us from Fangtasia?"

"Not technically, but I did find myself at her house as you brought her home. Speaking of which, that was quite a little fight you two had on her front porch. Tuvan throat singing? You subjected a little girl from Bon Temps to something even Tuvans won't listen to anymore?"

"I was just trying to broaden her horizons."

"You'd have had better luck if you'd broadened something else, but fortunately, I beat you to it. She'll take that almost as seriously as a Supe would, though I'm pretty sure she IS a Supe. I'm not sure what type, yet, but she's not entirely human."

"Yes, I know."

"Really? Enlighten me – what do you think she is?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'm not sure I know all the possibilities. I do know that her taste is…"

"'Unique,' is the word you're looking for. Quite unlike anything else I've tasted, and I've tasted pretty much everything there is to taste. I suspect she's a hybrid of some sort, and I also suspect that her telepathy…"

Bill looked up aghast.

"Oh, yes, I know about her telepathy, and I suspect that's only the tip of the iceberg. As Sheriff of this Area, it would have been irresponsible of me to leave such a special, and beautiful, asset without proper protection. Now she is under my protection and there will be no doubt as to whom she belongs or what channels need to be followed to engage her abilities."

"You seem very sure of yourself, Eric. When she gets to know you, she might feel differently."

"She knows me and I know her, better than you can imagine."

"Why, Eric, you almost sound as if you care about her," Bill said with contempt.

"I do care about her, and for more reasons than you think, though exactly how and why is none of your business. All you need to know is that if Sophie Ann wants to engage her special powers in service to the Crown, she'll have to come through me to do it."

Bill looked visibly frightened.

"Oh, yes, I know about your special relationship with Sophie Ann and I'm pretty sure why you landed back in Bon Temps, and it's not to inherit the old home place. In most cases I could care less what you two plan together but in this case, I care. She's MINE. Make no mistake about it, or even Sophie Ann will not be able to protect you from me."

Eric stood up and threw a hundred dollar bill on the table. "That's for my drink – you pay for yours and tip your waitress well. I'll ask her about it when I see her later tonight."

Sookie saw Eric get up and went rushing over to him, "are you leaving already?"

"Yes, I am, but I'll see you later in our usual spot, yes?" He stroked her cheek gently.

"Yes, definitely."

"Make sure you pick up your tip before the other girls get to it. I'll see you soon, my lover." He raised her hand and kissed it, making every jaw in the house drop to the floor. Sookie just beamed at him as he stood tall and swaggered out of the room.

Bill was standing up, shoulders rounded, looking utterly defeated, taking a hundred out of his wallet as Eric basically ordered him to do.

"Hi, Bill? Can I get you anything else?" Sookie was feeling a little bad for Bill because she was pretty sure Eric filled him in on their new status and Bill looked disappointed. She hated to hurt his feelings but she just didn't feel for him what she did for Eric.

"No, thank you, Sookie. I'll be going home now." He started to leave then stopped and turned toward her, started to speak, thought better of it and left. The part of him that really liked Sookie felt he should tell her who Eric really was before she was in too deep. The part of him that wanted to stay alive knew if he interfered with Eric's claim on her, he'd be finally, irrevocably dead. Given a choice, Bill would rather displease Sophie Ann than Eric. At least Sophie Ann liked Bill. Eric was fond of his swords and didn't hesitate to use them. Sophie Ann might be Queen, but the deadliest thing in this Queendom – or any other – was Eric Northman.

Sookie went to the table and was shocked to see two hundred dollar bills waiting there. She was standing there holding them, trying to decide what to do with them when Arlene noticed.

"Wow, Sookie, that must be some _good service_ you're dishing out to earn a tip like that."

Sookie bit her tongue. She was going to see Eric later and she'd give him his money back. She told herself that he was just being nice, he wasn't trying to insult her and screw Arlene and what she was thinking, anyway. Sookie was nobody's whore and she'd kindly but firmly make it very clear to Eric that she didn't want him throwing money at her. He didn't need to buy her affection – he had it. Treating her like a kept woman wasn't going to fly and if she didn't put her foot down, she knew Gran would. Eric just wasn't used to women like Sookie, she decided, so she'd thank him profusely for his kindness and insist he take his money back, then tomorrow she'd leave Bill's money in his mailbox.

"I hear you're making some big tips tonight, Sookie," Sam tried to sound casual, but he needed like hell to know what Sookie's connection to Eric Northman was. Sam was pretty sure that was him, and if it was, that was the most dangerous vampire in Louisiana and then some.

"Yeah, my friends were a little too generous, but I'll give it back to them when I see them."

"You're friends with that big vampire, too? Is he from Shreveport, by any chance?"

"Yeah, he owns Fangtasia – oh, you must know him, or know of him at least, since he has a bar, too."

"I know his reputation. Do you?"

"I know he's a Sheriff and the other vamps are afraid of him or beholden to him or whatever."

"You think it's a good idea hanging out with a vampire that even other vampires are afraid of?"

"Eric would never hurt me, I'm HIS, so nobody else will mess with me, either."

The color drained from Sam's face. "Sookie, did he explain to you what being "his" means?"

"Yeah, it means we have a… an_ intimate_ relationship and I'm under his protection. He says I need protection because of … well, you know."

"What if he's the one you need protection from?"

"He's not, Sam, I'm sure. He cares about me, not just what I can do."

"How long could you have known him, Sookie?"

"Just a few days, but we spent a lot of time talking and I can't explain it, but I KNOW him, Sam and he won't hurt me."

"How's Bill feel about all of this?"

"I wasn't planning to go out with Bill anymore, anyway. We really didn't have much in common."

"But you and Eric do?"

"Yeah – he already knows more about me than any man ever has. He pays attention to me and asks questions about me. He was a perfect gentleman once he became interested in me – he didn't even try to kiss me! I kissed him, first."

"Does your family know about him?" Sam was hoping somebody around Sookie would get through to her.

"He's coming over to meet Gran tomorrow night."

"Already?"

"Yeah, why wait? I'm going to be spending a lot of time with Eric, so Gran should know him, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I do think your Grandmother should meet him. What time is he coming to your house tomorrow?"

"7:30, why?"

"I was thinking about asking you to work late tomorrow…"

"Sam, please don't mess this up for me, OK? I haven't been this happy in … well, maybe, ever."

"Alright, Sookie, but if you change your mind about Eric, I'm here for you, OK?"

"OK, thanks, Sam." Sookie knew Sam was just concerned for her and on paper Eric was a scary dude. There was no way she could explain how things were with him when it was just the two of them. There was no doubt in Sookie's mind that Eric cared about her. She didn't know why she was so sure, but she knew what she felt from him and it was real.

Sookie floated on air for the rest of her shift and she drove way too fast going home. She had no way of knowing that Eric was relaxing in a tree at the edge of her yard when she got there, watching and waiting until he thought it was time to go to her window.

'What the fuck is she driving?' was Eric's first thought. 'I'm going to have to buy her a better car, at the very least, and set up an allowance for her. Eventually, I'll get her to quit her job in that shit bar and come live with me in Shreveport. If she insists on working, she should work at Fangtasia where she'll be paid well and I can keep an eye on her. I know Merlotte is not paying her what she's worth as a waitress, let alone as a Supe with gifts. I hate the idea of her working in that bar in that skimpy, unattractive outfit. Every man in Bon Temps might have seen her legs! '

'I can't believe I told her our meeting was destiny. Even if I meant it, I can't believe that I said it. ESPECIALLY because I meant it! Strategically, it was a stupid move. I should keep her guessing and off balance so she's eager to please me. What got into me? Why do I feel this _compulsion_ to reassure her? I need to "make it all better" for her, but why?

'I actually told her I've been looking for her for hundreds of years. Even if it's true, I shouldn't say that to her. It's like I can't stop myself when I'm with her. I wonder if vampires can be glamoured? What is she? She's just a girl. A very pretty, very feminine, blonde girl – but she's some unidentified sort of Supe, as well. Strategically, I DO need to be in control of her if she's living in my Area. '

'I as much as challenged my Queen to Compton's face! Am I trying to get myself killed? I can't remember the last time I was this far off my game. Why am I so driven to protect her? I actually told Compton that he and Sophie Ann would have to come through me to get to her! I am smarter than that, am I not?' I used to be anyway. Am I getting old? Sloppy? I can't possibly be in love, can I?'

'When was the last time I was in love? There was that woman 250 years ago, but I kept my wits about me. There was the woman I bonded with in the 1600's who died shortly thereafter and of course, I made Pam in the late 1800s, but that was sex and friendship, not grand romantic love. Does that even exist?'

'Four days ago, I'd have said absolutely not. It's a delusion people create for themselves to distract them from their pathetic lives. My life is not pathetic. I have my businesses, I live in comfort, I have all the sex and blood I want and I could quit at any moment and do something else. I don't have to be Sheriff, it's just the easiest way to get the perks that come with it. I like cracking heads on occasion and I like being powerful. I never met anyone I didn't think should be calling me Master. Except maybe Sookie.'

'Why that girl? Why now? Why was I so relieved when she invited me in? Was I lonely? And I'm going to meet her grandmother, like a lovesick whelp? Yes, I suppose I am, because I can't bear the thought of disappointing her. I should tell her I'll be there then not show up but I know I absolutely am not going to do that. Even now, all I'm really thinking about is tasting her sweet blood again, and touching that soft skin. Those big blue eyes looking up at me like there's something good left in me somewhere. Am I seeing something that isn't there because she reminds me of _Her?_'

'It's not like it's going to last. She'll see who I am eventually and she'll fear me as she ought. I want us bonded as quickly as possible. If I had a brain, I'd force her to do it now, but no, I'm going to ask her and let her choose to do it, as if she has a choice. Hopefully, by the time she realizes the way things really stand, she'll be too ensconced in my life to get out. I've already staked my claim. There's no turning back now. The minute I opened my mouth to Compton I burned the only bridge to escape. It doesn't matter anyway. I've got her, and I'm not letting her go.'

Eric looked at his watch and decided it was late enough, so he quickly flew into the shadow next to her window. She was sitting there in a tiny pink nightgown, and it occurred to Eric that she was wrapped like a present. He shook his head. If this wasn't love, it was close enough. Might as well make the most of it. He could smell scented candles burning.

"Sookie?" He spoke from the shadows.

"Eric?" Sookie was jumping out of her skin. He was finally here!

He moved into view. "You look very pretty tonight, Sookie. That's a very pretty gown.

"Thanks, I've had it a long time but I never had occasion to wear it before."

"I'm happy you finally found the occasion you were waiting for."

"Me, too. Aren't you going to come in?"

"Yes, I am." Eric floated silently through the window, and Sookie set the screen up in front of the open window to keep the bugs from getting too bad.

"New candles?"

"I've had them a while, too. I've sort of been collecting things for a bit, thinking…" she nodded her head. Eric moved close to her so she had to look up at him.

"Thinking you'd have someone to use them with eventually?" He was stroking her cheek, her throat, then down into her cleavage. She was shaking again.

"Wishing, anyway…" she said softly

"Are you cold, Sookie? You're trembling."

"No, I'm definitely not cold…"

"Your skin feels so warm…" he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her hard, taking her breath away for a minute. Her bed was already turned down, so he set her down gently and took his coat off, then his shirt and his boots (no socks) and suddenly, to his delight, she was unbuckling his belt and pulling down his pants (commando.)

He kissed her and kissed her, running his hand up her thigh and under her gown, and he purred with approval when he found she had nothing on under it. Knowing she was inexperienced, he brought her to her first release with his fingers so he was sure she was ready when he finally entered her. When he finally did slide into her, it was all he could do not to howl. She was so unbelievably warm inside and her scent was overwhelming. This wasn't sex, it was a drug, and Eric was already addicted.

He forced himself to go slowly with her and make sure she was enjoying it before he really started taking her vigorously. He was trying not to make any noise, but it wasn't easy because her bed was a bit old and creaky. He pulled one side of the gown below her breast with his teeth, then sucked and nibbled on her nipple, making her arch her back as she reached up for the spokes of the brass headboard.

Eric smiled to himself, thinking she'd probably enjoy being tied up some time. He was surprised at how quickly Sookie seemed to reach orgasm, but she was too new at this to be faking, and besides, he could feel her body gripping him inside. He managed to finish just after her and rolled over to the other side of the bed.

"Did I do that alright?"

Eric looked at her in amazement. "yes, my lover, you did that very well for one so new at it."

"If I'm doing anything wrong, please tell me."

"You cannot improve on perfection, Sookie." He smiled at her and stroked her cheek but he was berating himself inside. 'Shit! I'm doing it again! I'm saying too much. I sound like a love-starved teen-ager. What is it about this girl?'

"Please be honest with me."

"Sookie, I am so honest with you that it shocks me."

"It does?"

"Yes, I say things to you I should not say."

"Why not?"

"It is unwise to be so open with anyone, but especially with a woman I've only known for a few days. This is not like me."

"But I like the way you are with me."

"I like it, too, but it's not very smart. Nor is my telling you this. There's something about you that makes me want to explain myself to you."

"Maybe you just really like me?"

Eric laughed. If she only knew! "Yes, I think maybe that's it."

"You're used to being a badass, right? And you don't usually say nice things to people, even to girls?"

"I don't usually say nice things at all to anyone."

"That's so sad!"

"Sad?"

"Yeah, that means you don't have anyone you love or who loves you?"

"No, there are a few employees that I think like me because I'm fair and I pay very well, but that's about it. My Childe is very loyal to me, of course– I suppose I occasionally compliment her."

"Your child?"

"Yes, Pam – the girl with "the vault."

"You're her father?"

"I'm her Maker. I turned her from human to vampire and so I am her Master."

"Wow – I didn't know you were that close to her."

"Closer than anyone in the world until I met you."

"You must love her, don't you?"

"Yes, but it's not a romantic love – she's not a romantic person. It's more pride and respect with us."

"You don't say nice things to her?"

"I sometimes buy her a nice gift to show my appreciation – jewelry, vacations, things like that."

"Which reminds me, I owe you ninety-four dollars, and Bill, too."

"Why do you say that?"

"It was very generous of you two to leave me such a tip, but it's just not necessary. My co-worker practically called me a whore, and I hate that."

"Do you normally use such common language?"

"You mean…"

"Whore – it doesn't seem a word you would use."

"Well, no, I guess I don't normally."

"I'd prefer you didn't. You're far too sweet to use such language." He stroked her cheek and smiled at her.

"OK, but my point is, my co-worker implied that I did something other than serve you drinks to get that money."

"She is jealous," Eric said with absolute certainty.

"No doubt, but it was embarrassing. You don't need to throw money at me that way."

"I didn't intend to throw it at you, I intended to brighten your day with a little unexpected gift."

"That's really sweet, and I really appreciate the thought, but the thought is enough."

"What if I disagree?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are mine, yes?"

"Yes. I am," she beamed at him.

"That entitles you to certain consideration from me."

"It does?"

"Yes, in my world, others would expect me to give you money on a regular basis, to buy you gifts, to take you on trips, to support you in every way."

"Wow, I didn't know that, but honestly, it's not necessary. All I want from you is your time and attention. I don't wanna be a "kept woman.""

"What is that?"

"It's like a mistress that you put up in an apartment and lavish with jewelry and stuff because you're sleeping with her."

"That's a bad thing?"

"Yes, it's like a … that word you don't want me to say. I'm not one."

"No, you are my lover. Is it not appropriate for me to buy you presents?"

"Something small now and then, sure, but not big stuff."

"I gave you less than a hundred dollars. I've given that much to waitresses many times."

"Because you were having sex with them?"

"No, because I wanted to be generous because they served me well or were very nice. Most waitresses are very appreciative."

"Yeah, I bet, but you and I are in a relationship now. I'd be more likely to pay for your drink myself than to let you not only pay, but give me a big tip, too."

"So I shouldn't mention the gift I have for you in my pocket?"

"Did it cost less than 50 dollars?"

"Much less."

"OK, that's probably within reason for where we are right now. What is it?" Sookie became girlish and playful once she was sure it wasn't anything extravagant.

Eric laughed and shook his head, but reached for his coat. "Close your eyes."

He pulled the gift out of his coat pocket and brushed her face with it softly, surprising her. She opened her eyes, "a pink teddy bear! It's so sweet! I love it – see this is appropriate. It's small, it's cute and it will remind me of you every time I cuddle it." She hugged it, then kissed him several times on the cheek then on the lips.

"Most of the women I know would throw me out that window for bringing them a gift like that, you know."

"And isn't that sort of why you're with me and not them?"

"Point taken. Eventually, though, when we've been a couple for a while, I can spend more on you, yes?"

"Eventually, sure, when everybody understands that you're my boyfriend and not a client."

"Alright. I will be patient. One thing I insist on, however…"

"What's that?"

"You keep the money from tonight, both mine and Compton's. Tell your co-worker you gave it back if it makes you feel better, but keep it. Buy yourself something pretty, or buy something for your grandmother, but don't give it back to me or to Bill. He and I both have plenty of money and it's more trouble to return it than it's worth."

"You and Bill both have really nice cars. Are you rich?" Sookie moved a little closer as she laid her head on the pillow and Eric did the same so they were face to face, whispering.

"Compton is what I would call comfortable. I am wealthy."

"Wealthy? Is that more than rich?"

"A great deal more, actually."

"Just from running one bar?"

"No, Sookie, Fangtasia is where I find my meals. I have many businesses and properties." He smoothed her hair back from her face and she smiled at him.

"Oh, cool."

"Does that mean you'll allow me to spend more money on you?" He said hopefully.

"No, it just means you're well-off and I don't need to worry about you borrowing money from me," Sookie laughed.

"I have never heard of a man borrowing money from his lover."

"Oh, it happens all the time. Do you ever watch TV?"

"Yes, why?"

"Have you ever seen Judge Judy?"

"That's usually on in the daytime, isn't it? Should I TIVO it?"

"Yes, because she has tons of cases where men borrow money from women then break up with them and never pay them back."

"That is shameful behavior. I would not call such a person a man."

"What would you call him?"

"A worm, at best. I have no respect for a man that does not support his women."

"His women? Plural?"

"I mean all of his women, not just his lover. If a man has a widowed mother, or a sister, for example, who is not married, then he should provide for her until she marries."

Sookie had to laugh into a pillow to keep from waking Gran. "That's a little old fashioned, Eric, people don't think that way anymore."

"Since we're on the subject, did you not tell me you have an older brother?"

"Yes, Jason. Why?"

"I do not understand why you work in Merlotte's if you have a healthy older brother. Is he disabled?"

"Jason, disabled? No, he's as healthy as a horse."

"Has he no shame?"

"Shame? He's a hound dog, if that's what you mean, but no, I don't think Jason feels ashamed of much."

"Does he not understand his obligation to you? You are a beautiful, gifted, unmarried woman. He should support you under any circumstance until you marry, but in your case, you have such unique abilities, you need more protection than an average girl."

"Wow. You know, Bill said something to that effect, too, now that I think about it. Are all vampires really traditional that way?"

"Most, yes. Among us, your brother would be ridiculed. Eventually, if I do not improve your station in life, I will be ridiculed, too."

"Improve my station in life?"

"Yes."

"So what would that include? What would other vampires expect you to do?"

"To begin, I would buy you a new car."

"What?!"

"Yes, that's the first thing, but only one of many. If you, or your grandmother, have any needs, I would see to them. I would give you an allowance and buy you clothing and jewelry, other fine things. Eventually, you would hopefully come to live with me and let me support you completely."

"Gran, too? That sounds like being married."

"My kind does not normally marry, but there is no reason not to. We do blood bond very rarely."

"What's a blood bond? Is it a ceremony?"

"No, it is a physical reality. You know that, because you have tasted my blood, I can feel what you feel, yes?" He smoothed her hair back gently.

"Yes, I do."

"If you and I exchange blood three times, we will be blood bonded. Most vampires only bond once or twice in their long lives. It is a very special connection."

"What does it do? Could I feel you like you feel me?"

"Yes, you could, and I would never be able to leave you. I would suffer to be away from you."

"Wow – so that's a really big commitment – even more than getting married?"

"Oh yes, marriages can end in divorce. A blood bond only ends in death, and the remaining partner never gets over it completely."

"Have you ever blood bonded with anyone?"

"Once, in the 1600's. She didn't live long after."

"Do you still feel that loss?"

"On some level, yes."

"Do you regret it?"

"No, I would regret it if I had not. I could never regret what we meant to each other while we were together, and I am glad I cannot forget her."

"That's so sad, but it's beautiful too. You have to do it three times or four?"

"Three."

"I tasted Bill's blood twice and he never told me anything about this. What if…?"

"He should have warned you of the possibility. I'm not happy to know he did not. One might think he didn't want you to know until it was too late."

"You don't like Bill much, do you?"

"I don't trust him. He's young and too easily swayed by those with their own agendas. He has very little power, and is therefore eager to curry favor with his superiors."

"Aren't you his superior?"

"In every respect, but he could still put a knife in my back if I let down my guard. He has no loyalty to me as he does to others."

"Others? Like your Queen?"

"Exactly."

"You're loyal to her, too, though, right?"

"Yes, but I would not let her abuse or mistreat you. Compton could do nothing to prevent that. He could not protect you as I can. I am the oldest, most powerful vampire in her Queendom."

"I do feel safer with you." Sookie moved closer, moving the teddy bear behind her and he smiled and took her in his arms. He could tell she just wanted to be held and reassured and he was happy to do that.

"Sookie, if you or your Grandmother need anything, do not hesitate to let me know, alright? It would make me very happy to help you in any way."

"That's sweet, but not yet, OK?"

"OK," he kissed her softly, for a long time. He took her again, slowly, rapturously, still in awe of how she made him feel. Even being called "Master" could not compare to this joy – yes, that was the word for it – the joy that he felt when he was inside her, when he watched her beautiful face, eyes closed, as she reached another luxurious release.

She fell into a peaceful sleep about an hour before sunrise, but he stayed with her as long as he could before he slipped out the window and headed for home, taking a scarf she had worn because it had her scent on it.

The next day was a blur for Sookie. She had to go in a little earlier than usual so instead of lying in the sun, she opted for a long bubble bath so she could refresh her manicure and pedicure, use her Queen Helene Mint Julep facial mask, and deep condition her hair so she'd be in top form when she saw Eric tonight. She'd just have time to change clothes when she got home from work. She looked through a couple of fashion magazines and wondered if maybe she should start buying Cosmo to learn some tips about sex? She remembered borrowing a book from her friend, Tara, back in the 10th grade called _The Sensuous Woman_ and wondered if they had that at the library in town.

Merlotte's was unusually quiet for a Saturday afternoon, which was good in one respect because there were fewer mistakes to make and Sookie was still extremely distracted, but bad in that Arlene had time to needle Sookie about her vampires.

"So, Sookie, that big old blonde vampire is a friend of yours?"

"Yes, Arlene, his name is Eric."

"I don't usually go for blondes, but he's a good lookin' man. I couldn't believe the size of those shoulders!"

"Yes, he's a big guy."

"Uh-huh, is he that big, you know, all over?" Arlene winked at Sookie and nudged her with her shoulder and Sookie blushed, to Arlene's delight. "I'll take that as a 'yes,'" she cackled.

"Take it any way you want it, Arlene," Sookie said defensively, "I really like Eric so he's going to be around. I don't know if he'll necessarily come here that much, but I'm probably going to be seeing a lot of him…." Shit! Sookie said that before she realized she was giving Arlene an opening.

"How much of him have you seen so far?" she asked with wicked glee.

"Arlene!" Sam yelled from the end of the bar, "You've got two tables waiting on you."

"Alright, Sam, sorry," she scurried away to wait on her new customers.

"Thanks, Sam," Sookie said with relief.

"Don't let her get to you, Sookie. She's losing her mind because René ain't been home for two nights and she thinks he split on her and the kids. Picking on you takes her mind off of things at home. She's jealous of you, so just ignore her."

"I will. Thanks." Sookie smiled at him warmly, and Sam nodded, then locked himself in his office for a bit. Sookie knew Sam wasn't happy about her seeing Eric, but that couldn't be helped. One thing Eric had said was bugging her, but she didn't know whether she should ask Sam about it or not. Eric had told her to tell Sam she was his, and that Sam would know exactly what that meant. Why would Sam know a vampire rule like that? From what she knew, he didn't seem to like vamps much, though she'd only ever seen him around Bill and Eric and she was the reason he didn't like them.

Anyway, the rest of the shift was uneventful and she got home a little earlier than she expected, carton of True Blood in hand, so she took a quick shower just to freshen up, did some fresh makeup and put on a pretty pink sundress she'd been saving for a special occasion. She pulled her hair straight back from her face the way she wore it when she first met Eric because he said it looked glorious that night.

Sookie was pacing around the living room, adjusting things on the mantle and fluffing pillows when Gran came out of her room in company clothes. "I don't remember ever seeing you this jumpy, Sookie."

"I'm really anxious for you to meet Eric, Gran. I want you to like him. Jason won't be here tonight, will he?"

"Not unless you invited him. I didn't mention it because of the way he acted toward Mr. Compton. I thought your gentleman friend and I would be able to talk a little more this way. I want to get to know him since you are so fond of him."

"Yeah, I… is that a car?!" Sookie ran to the window and saw a perfect red corvette pull up in front of the house.

Gran walked over and looked out, too. "Oh, my – what a fancy car!"

"Yeah, Eric is really well-off, I think. Really, really well off."

Sookie was practically jumping up and down as she went out on the front porch to greet Eric. She could hardly breathe when he got out of the car – he was wearing a gorgeous silver-gray suit with a pink silk shirt and tie, and he flashed her a brilliant smile as he walked around to the passengers seat and took out a very pretty flower arrangement and a box of some sort.

He walked confidently up to the front porch and said, "Sookie, you look lovely tonight," and gave her a very proper kiss.

"I'm so glad you're here! Come in and meet Gran." She practically pulled him in through the door behind her and was absolutely beaming when she said "Gran, this is Eric Northman. Eric, this is my Grandmother, Adele Stackhouse."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Stackhouse. I've heard such wonderful things about you. These are for you, Madame," he offered her the gorgeous flower arrangement. "And these are for you, Sookie. I hope you like dark chocolate," he said as he handed her the box.

"Oh my, well, it's very nice to meet you, Mr. Northman. Please come in and sit down. Sookie, honey, get Mr. Northman one of those True Blood drinks, please."

"Thank you." Eric sat in the chair she indicated and Sookie took the flowers and set them on a side table, fussing with them a little to make them look their best, then she hurried into the kitchen. "It was so kind of you to invite me to your home, Madame. Your charming granddaughter tells me that you raised her, so I have you to thank for her being such a delight."

"Oh, Sookie was always naturally bright and bouncy. Even when times were hard, I could count on her to have a smile on her face."

"She's a very special young lady."

"Yes, I agree. I understand you own a business in Shreveport?"

"Actually, I own quite a few businesses. Fangtasia, where I met Sookie, is more of a social outlet for me. I have investments in many areas – construction, real estate, shopping centers, even a bio-research lab."

"Really? That's very impressive. You must be very busy?"

"I have good people who oversee most of the businesses. I've managed to put together a very competent team to help me. That makes all the difference."

"I can imagine it does. Sookie tells me you've got quite a history, Mr. Northman. Have you ever been married?"

"Many, many years ago, yes, but I lost her to a pandemic."

"Oh, dear!"

"Yes, it was quite a blow. It took a very long time before I was able to move forward with my life. I'm sure you know what it is like when you are in love with someone who is lost to illness. It stays with you, no matter how much time passes."

"Yes, I do know what you mean. You must have been in other relationships since then, though?"

"A few, but nothing that deep or lasting – more friendship than anything else. I didn't think I had the capacity for such feelings until I met Sookie. I've known her but a short time, but I feel as if I have known her for years. I must admit, it is quite unlike me to drop everything as I have since I've known her."

"I hope you aren't neglecting things on my account, Eric," Sookie was genuinely concerned as she handed him his blood drink.

"No, not at all, I have partners and managers enough to see to my business interests, I just rarely have reason to take time off. My social life has been quite barren for some time now. I meet people at the club of course, but those are shallow acquaintances, at best. Sookie walking into my club was the best thing that has happened to me in centuries."

"Well, I know Sookie has certainly enjoyed meeting you."

Sookie gave Eric a shy smile, knowing Gran had no idea how much.

"Knowing Sookie has brightened my world considerably. She brought light back into my life. Getting to know her has awakened a part of me that I thought had died long ago."

"What a lovely sentiment. I do hope you understand that I'm concerned about who Sookie spends time with. She's got some unusual gifts that make it important for her to be careful of her… companions."

Eric sat forward and looked directly at Adele "Yes, I think I understand that in a way few people would. I am aware of the value of Sookie's gifts, and of the difficulties that could befall one as trusting as she because of them. Believe me when I tell you that my first and most urgent priority is to protect Sookie from any kind of danger. I would never allow anyone to exploit her or cause her any harm."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Mr. Northman. Knowing that will take a great weight off my shoulders."

"My only wish is to improve Sookie's situation and make her happy. If there is anything I can do for either of you, you have only to ask. I am at your service, and would take great pleasure in helping you in any way that I can."

"Eric is always wanting to give me presents, but I told him that's not necessary."

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Northman, but Sookie has been taught not to take advantage of other people's kindness. The offer of your assistance is more than enough."

"So she tells me. It's going to be very hard for me – my natural instinct is to pamper and spoil her."

"Sookie needs to be loved and protected. I wouldn't want her to settle for anything less and I wouldn't expect her to demand anything more. I need to know that she'll be safe when she is with you, Mr. Northman. Just keeping her safe is all I ask."

"That, I can easily promise. I'll do anything in my power to see that no harm comes to her when she is with me."

"Alright, well, I suppose you two have plans for the evening?"

"I had hoped to take Sookie for a drive. I know some very pretty spots in the area and I thought I might buy her some dinner somewhere and we'll talk some more. My greatest pleasure, these days, is talking to Sookie."

"Do you need me for anything here, Gran?" Sookie said, hoping she'd say no.

"No, you two go for a drive and have fun. I hope you aren't in the habit of speeding, Mr. Northman?"

"I don't dare – my car attracts far too much attention to get away with that."

"I can imagine. Sookie, you need to take a sweater." Adele stood up and shook Eric's hand. "It was very nice to meet you. I hope to see you again, soon?"

"Yes, I'm sure I'll be around."

"Good night." Adele patted Sookie's arm as she came back from the closet with a white sweater she had no intention of wearing and went into the kitchen.

"Right this way, Miss Stackhouse." Eric held his hand up with a flourish, ushering her toward the door.

"Wow," was all Sookie could say as Eric zipped in front of her and held the door for her. "I've never even seen a car this fancy before."

Eric smiled, his car being a source of extreme pride for him, and helped her get settled, being sure to tuck her skirt into the car before he closed the door. He was in the driver's seat instantly, and helped Sookie with her seat belt.

"I know you aren't going to follow the speed limit, you know?" she laughed.

"I could hardly say that to your grandmother. I promised to keep you safe."

"Yep, you did. That felt so weird."

"It did?"

"I felt like you two were bartering over me or something."

"Not at all, Sookie, she merely told me what she expects and I assured her I would meet her expectations. I would have expected nothing less than for her to be clear about what she expects for you. Your grandmother seems a very honorable woman. It is a great honor to me that she agreed to let you leave with me."

"Well, she knows how I feel about you so you'd have to have been pretty bad for her to object."

"Are you going to tell her you are coming to my house tomorrow night."

"Yes, I'm going to have to. I hope she doesn't get angry."

"So do I. Give her my home number so she can contact you if need be, and that will give her some comfort, though I'm quite sure she will object no matter how much assurance you give her."

"If you were her, would you object?"

"If I were she, I would lock you in your room and paint the house with silver before I'd let you be alone with me, but that is because I know me," Eric laughed and Sookie did, too. "Where would you like to eat, my lover?"

"I ought to make you take me to Merlotte's and rub Arlene's nose in it. You wouldn't believe how she was riding me about you today!"

"Riding you?"

"Yeah, teasing me, picking on me."

"What did she say?"

"She asked if you were big all over and how much of you I've seen!"

"And what did you say?"

"I blushed and she said she'd take that as a yes, then Sam yelled at her when she asked how much of you I've seen."

"They are both jealous."

"Yeah, I know. You know the guy from the other night?"

"Yes?"

"He was Arlene's boyfriend. She freaking out because he hasn't come home."

"That is to be expected. Are the police looking for him?"

"Not yet – they probably won't. They'll just assume he split like her other boyfriends."

"She's had other boyfriends?"

"Oh, yeah, there's a new one every so often. One of the other girls who was killed used to call them her loser of the month when she'd bring a new guy in. She's been married like 4 times. She'll have another guy before the month is over."

"People often make the mistake of accepting quantity when they cannot find quality. That is very sad."

"Yeah, it is. Have you ever done that?"

"Yes, at times, but that loses its appeal quickly. Still, in the course of a millennium, one goes through phases."

"Yeah, I'll bet. I was trying to imagine all the stuff you've seen and it's so hard to even wrap my mind around," she laughed and he smiled softly at her. "Where all have you lived?"

"I moved around a lot out of necessity. I left Sweden after I was turned and only rarely go back. I spent time in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Egypt, Italy, France, England, Germany, Russia, so many places, so many times I can hardly count."

"Wow. Do you speak other languages?"

"About 16."

"WOW!"

"English was one of the last that I learned, and I learned it first in Asia from British sailors, so that made it very difficult."

"You speak it really well now – better than most people I know.

"Thank you. I worked hard to get to this point."

"When did you come to America?"

"I came here a few times on ships, but I came here to stay at the turn of the 19th-to-20th century."

"Why did you come here?"

"I had to get Pam out of England and this seemed to be where the most progress was being made."

"Why did you have to take Pam away?"

"She was spotted by her sister one night in London. Her family had buried her, so if they'd found us it would have been disastrous. We left that very night on a ship bound for America."

"Wow – just like that?"

He looked at her, "just like that."

"Did Pam want to be turned?"

"Yes, very much, though she didn't quite understand what I offered."

"So you killed her?"

"No, Sookie, I transformed her. I made her immortal. I saved her from a loveless arranged marriage. I gave her a life of adventure and fun. She never looked back or regretted coming with me. We lived happily together for many years."

Sookie was quiet for a few minutes, trying to decide if she wanted to ask this question, and if so, how to go about it.

"Yes, Sookie."

"Yes, what?"

"Pam and I had sex. Lots and lots of it. It's why I made her."

"Oh…"

"Does that disturb you?"

"Well, you can glamour people, right?"

"Right,"

"And so you can almost always feed when you need to, right?"

"Yes."

"And that means you can have sex almost any time, too, right?"

"Yes."

"So why did you want to make Pam?"

"There's a certain level, where sex is concerned, that you can only reach with a partner you've been with for many years."

"Oh… so, that was like the ultimate sex you've ever had?"

"No, it was only sex."

"I don't understand."

"You will, some day," he stroked her cheek.

"I want to know…"

"The ultimate sex is when you are with someone you love, and have been with them for many years. Pam and I reached that place where you know the other's body as well as your own, and you instinctively know what your lover wants, but we were never in love. I made Pam because I thought I had lost the capacity to love that way."

"That's so sad…"

"But we were great together for a long time. We had fun, I wasn't so lonely, our lives were both better for a time. Pam was what they call a "partner in crime" – we had compatible tastes and tendencies. It was a good match, but not a great one."

"Because that extra something was missing…"

"Right."

"I hope you find it again."

'Don't say it! Don't say it,' Eric was screaming in his head. "I already have." DAMN!

Sookie laughed. "That sounds like a line from a romance novel."

"Yes, it does. I can't believe I said it," he said aloud but he was talking to himself.

"Things will be different with us when we're around other vampires, won't they?"

"I'll have to be…"

"Badass."

"Yes, but not to you."

"There's a lot of violence in your world, isn't there?"

"Yes, there is."

"I'll probably see some of it, right?"

"Right."

"But you'll protect me."

"With my life."

"That's scary"

"Are you afraid of me, Sookie?"

"No. I probably should be, but I'm not. I know you'd never hurt me."

"You will be, some day."

"No, Eric, I won't. That's just it, I know I won't. Like when I met Bill, he was exciting and different, but when I met those friends of his, and then I saw what he did to that cop for no reason… I could never look at him the same way. I know that I'll see you do some unspeakable things and it won't matter."

"I hope that is true, but we must both be aware that it might not be."

"So why are you so sure about me, then?"

"You remind me of someone. I feel as if I've known you before. I know it doesn't make sense…"

"Yeah, my feelings about you don't make sense either."

"My age is a part of it, I think. I am able to size people up very quickly. I know what I like and what I don't. I know what I want. Anyway, we will see. We will be as happy as we are, as long as we can, agreed?"

"Agreed," he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. "Now you must decide – do you eat now, or do we go on to the lake?"

She looked around, "wow – I forgot we were even moving. I'm not really hungry – let's go to the lake."

"As you wish, my lover," he smiled at her as he turned his signal on and turned off the highway. Sookie couldn't even remember turning onto the highway.

"This is the lake you told me about the other night, right?"

"Yes, there's a very nice spot that is usually deserted. The moon is full tonight, so it should be very pretty." He turned into an area that was fenced off and locked with a chain. "Wait here." He got out of the car, unlocked the fence, drove them through and walked back to lock the gate again.

"Are we supposed to be here?"

"Yes, that's my fence."

"Do you live here?"

"No, but I own this tract of land, from the road to the water for about half a mile in each direction."

"How do you keep track of everything you own?"

"With some difficulty, but ultimately, it's all written down in two places only I know about."

"Nobody else knows about the master list or whatever?"

"No. I own some businesses that cannot be traced to me at all."

"Are they illegal?"

"No, but they serve purposes I'd rather not explain to the authorities."

"Oh."

Eric turned down a dirt road and went around a curve and came out on a sand bar by a lake. He let down the convertible top, turned off the car and the lights and in a moment, Sookie's eyes adjusted. The moonlight on the water was like a path of silver and there was no sound except for the frogs and crickets.

"Eric, this is gorgeous!"

"I'm glad you like it. I come here often when the weather is good. You are the only living creature who knows that I own it. Pam doesn't even know where it is."

"You've never brought another girl here?"

"Never."

"Why did you buy it?"

"So I could do this. And I might build a house here some day."

"Don't you own a house?"

"I own four, but I might decide I want one here, too. Imagine this view from your bed."

"Your house would have to be made of glass."

"Only one wall of it. It could be two-way glass so we could see out and no one could see in."

"We?"

"Why not?" He took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers.

Sookie felt as if she was dreaming and she hoped she'd never wake up. "Eric, why are you in such a hurry? About us, I mean?"

"Honestly, I want to establish a good foundation between us before you encounter the rest of my world. I want you to know that you can trust me, and lean on me, no matter what happens."

"You still think I'll be afraid of you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I'll feel that way until we've weathered a few storms, so to speak."

"You have to learn to trust me just like I have to learn to trust you. I never thought of that before."

"You didn't?"

"No, it never occurred to me that someone would have to learn to trust me. I guess I just always assumed I was obviously trustworthy."

"You are, Sookie, but from my perspective, you are very young."

"You're showing me all this stuff you've never shown anyone, though."

"Yes, because I want you to know the private me before you know the public me. I haven't felt hope in a long, long time, Sookie, you must understand that."

Sookie scooted closer to Eric and laid her head on his shoulder. He leaned so his cheek rested on her hair and they were quiet for a few minutes.

"You and me against the worlds – mine and yours, agreed?" Sookie finally said.

"Agreed." He turned and kissed her hair. She looked up at him and he kissed her lips. They kissed for a long time and Eric's hands began to roam all over Sookie.

"There's no room in here, is there?"

"Watch this," Eric laughed as he was up and around the car in a heartbeat, scooping Sookie out of her seat and laying her on the hood of the car. Eric was under her skirt and between her legs, her panties in shreds on the ground.

Sookie felt absolutely wild, out in the middle of nowhere, fucking a huge, beautiful vampire, wishing it would last forever. She couldn't help but cry out as he drove her to her first release with his tongue and fingers, and she laughed at herself for scaring the animals. Eric untied the halter top of her dress and pulled the top down to expose her breasts, then he took her roughly as he stretched her hands out above her head, nipping on her breasts in an entirely new way. This was the first time they'd been able to really let go together and they made the most of it. Eric pushed her legs back so he could go in deep and she was matching and meeting him with every thrust, arching her back and crying out with each stroke.

Sookie never felt so alive. This was it! This was what all the fuss was about. Suddenly, Sookie felt a rush, a tightening, that she never felt before and she seized up and jerked several times. Eric finished slowly, as Sookie lay stunned and shaking, her breath difficult and ragged, as he suddenly thrust harder and growled in a way Sookie had never heard, then he bit her breast and fed from her as she lay under him, completely exhausted.

"Min Gudinna, Sookie, I swear I never tasted anything so sweet," he growled as he nuzzled her ear.

"What was that? I never felt anything like that in my life!"

"You have climaxed with me before, haven't you?"

"Not like that! I didn't even know that was possible! Is that what you meant when you said we could fuck as loudly as we want?"

"Yes, of course – did you not like it?"

"I LOVED it! I want you to do that to me again and again and again. I feel like there's nothing left of me!" She dropped her head back, laughing and shaking it from side to side, as Eric touched her face with the whole of his big hand and pulled it down her body, then did it again with both hands. 'I'm HIS,' Sookie thought to herself, "the way he's touching me means I'm HIS and as far as I'm concerned that's all I ever want to be.'


	5. Chapter 5

[Author's Note: Some of this will seem very familiar because we're dealing with the same characters but different time line. My version of the Eric/Sookie mythos is pretty well set – the difference is when it happens and how. That's why things in this story match things in Making Pam, She's Coming Home, Late, etc.

Also, someone mentioned that Sookie would show more resistance. This Sookie never slept with Bill, so there's no conflicting loyalty there. A lot of Sookie's denial and resistance toward Eric had to do with not wanting to change her "one man" status, and not hurting Bill's feelings. This Sookie had a chance to be romanced by Eric without a predisposition to Bill, so she's much more open him. Also, this Eric "recognized" Sookie eariier, because he got close to her before he had a clear picture of her as an individual.]

**Once More, With Feeling**

Sookie sneaked into the house at 2 AM with her sweater tied around her waist to hide a pinkish wet spot on the back of her dress. She was relieved she made it into the bathroom without being seen, and she put her dress in cold water to soak. Even if the stain on the back came out, the bloodstain on the breast might not. She threw on a robe she had hanging on the back of the door, then went into her room and locked the door behind her.

Eric was already at the window when she got there, giving her that wicked grin that made her weak in the knees. She pulled the screen down as quickly and quietly as she could so he could come in and before she knew it she was on her back and the robe thrown open, Eric between her legs licking, a breast in each hand. She was beginning to think she would never cool down again. Every time she had sex with Eric, it seemed to make her want more. She wondered what would happen if he didn't have to go to rest every day – if it were up to her, they'd be doing this 24 hours a day.

She was trying with everything in her to be quiet. She thought before she met Eric that she knew what an orgasm was, but she was wrong – every time they went at it now they got stronger and more unbelievable. She asked Eric earlier if that was normal for most women and he said no – that she was a "sexual savant" whatever that meant. She kept repeating the phrase to herself so she could write it in her diary and then look it up tomorrow. He assured her it was a good thing, but she still wanted to know exactly what it meant.

In no time at all Sookie had to bury her face in her pillow and try not to scream as he pushed her to yet another climax. She didn't even know it was possible to have 6 in one night and they weren't done yet. She was glad she was in her own bed this time, because her legs wouldn't support her if she tried to stand right now. As she lay there catching her breath, Eric continued to kiss her all over and finally told her to put her arms around his neck. As she did, he held her thighs in his hands and picked her up, taking her over to the wooden chair and sitting down. Sookie thought she remembered seeing something like this in a movie but she couldn't remember when or where – all she knew was that he was lowering her onto his erect cock and if she died right now, she'd go a happy, happy girl. He was moving her up and down and she buried her face in his neck until he said, "look at me, Sookie."

She leaned back, looking him in the eye and he said, "I love you, Sookie. Will you drink from me?"

"Yes," she said in a hoarse whisper and he tore his wrist and she drank as much as she possibly could before the wound closed. When she was done, he pulled her tight against him and bit her shoulder hard, drinking quickly as he began to come. He held her so tight as he reached his release that she couldn't breathe for a minute, but soon she was riding the wave of another orgasm that left her so weak she'd have been on the floor if Eric hadn't been holding her. She collapsed against him, and he said, "I do love you, Sookie, more than anything. Remember that, no matter what happens."

"I will. I love you, too," she whispered into his ear. She was covered with sweat and not recovering as quickly this time around.

"I am exhausting you. I should leave and let you sleep." He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"I don't want you to go!"

"You'll be asleep in a few minutes. I'll hold you until you drift away, and then tonight you will come to my house, yes? I'll leave a note for the housekeeper – her name is Margaret - and you get there any time after 6:00 PM, alright?"

"Alright, I will. I need directions…"

"They're right here," he pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and laid it on the nightstand. "It's easy to find, it's all the way at the end of the street. I'll have Margaret leave the garage door open so you can park next to me, OK?"

"OK," she said in the middle of a yawn.

"What are you going to do today, Sookie?"

She was obviously half asleep now. "I'm going to talk to Gran, and I have to see if I can find somebody to fix our lawn mower. Even my brother couldn't get it started yesterday." She barely finished the sentence before she was completely out. Eric straightened his clothing, left a bottle of Chanel No. 5 sitting on top of the directions, and flew out the window, pushing it down from the outside. Eric flew quickly over the trees to where he had parked his car.

When he approached the car, he saw Bill Compton leaning on it.

"Good evening, Bill," he said as he touched ground.

"I take it you've been to Sookie's tonight?"

"Come now, Bill, you don't have to ask. You can smell her on me. Delicious, isn't it? That delicate sweetness with that special something that makes you want to sink into it and drown."

"Well, I don't know that I'd describe it that way…"

"Maybe that's because you've only tasted her blood. There are even sweeter treats to be had, if one is so privileged."

"You're disgusting."

"She doesn't seem to think so. She certainly enjoys my taste as much as I do hers."

"She didn't…"

"She did. Just one more, and she's mine forever."

"You can't do that, Eric…"

"Oh, but I can, and I shall. Don't worry, Bill, I've already explained it to her. She knows the possibility and I don't think she'll hesitate for the third taste when I offer it."

"She's an innocent girl…"

"She's not quite as innocent as she used to be, but I know what you mean. I assure you, Bill, I have only the most honorable intentions toward Miss Stackhouse. I'm not joking when I say I care for her. We make a marvelous couple. I'll be very proud to have her by my side at the next get-together."

"You aren't planning to take her to Rhodes in September?!"

"But I am. I'll be the envy of everyone there. There isn't a vampire walking that wouldn't give almost anything to taste her, but only I can do so. I'm going to enjoy that very much indeed."

"There are people above you in the hierarchy who might have different ideas."

"Not if she's my bonded. Even the Council wouldn't interfere with that connection. And if you're thinking of trying to stop me, Compton, know this – I'll stake _anyone_ who tries to interfere with our relationship." Eric stood over Bill, his voice menacing and deep, "There are larger forces at work here than you can possibly imagine. She's meant for me, and I shall have her. Now get off my car, and don't let me smell you this close to her house again."

Bill stepped away angrily and Eric got in his car. Eric meant exactly what he said – he'd kill anyone who tried to get between him and Sookie – and Bill knew it. Her Majesty was just going to have to deal with Eric if she wanted Sookie's assistance. Bill knew she'd be angry at him, but he reminded himself as he walked back to his house that it was better to anger Sophie Ann than Eric. Eric was being unreasonable, even by his standards. Bill reasoned that there must be something driving Eric that went beyond wanting to control her abilities, but he couldn't imagine what it might be.

For all Eric's boasting, it wasn't like him to stick his neck out this way for any reason. His usual M.O. was to stay off the radar until someone needed torturing or beheading. He was putting himself squarely in the spotlight for this girl and it made no sense at all. It couldn't be politics, because the smart move would be to serve her up to Sophie Ann on a golden platter. Eric didn't need more money, he didn't want more power – at the moment, he seemed to want Sookie more than he wanted to live. If anyone had told him Eric would behave this way about a girl, Bill would have thought them mad. It couldn't possibly be love, but to an outsider, that's about the only thing that would explain his attachment to Sookie.

Eric found it hard to concentrate on the drive home because Sookie's scent was so overwhelming. He wasn't going to shower tonight so he could wake up to that intoxicating scent tomorrow night. He'd be very happy, indeed, to have that beautiful aura around him for the rest of his long life. He had known millions of women, but he was sure that hers was the softest skin he'd ever touched, and the warmest, too.

He was very relieved at the lake when she didn't notice that he'd almost called her the wrong name. He would have simply said he was excited, like when she called out "oh my god," but he would naturally use a deity from his own culture. He wasn't ready for her to know about that relationship yet. He needed to know her much better before he could trust her with that part of his past. The funny thing was he was very sure it wouldn't be long before she knew and she would understand. It was stupid to trust someone so young he'd known for only a few days, but it was She, and he was sure of it.

Eric got home in time to conduct a little business tonight. He handled some email and paid a few bills electronically, and left some instructions for his day man that he wanted carried out first thing in the morning. By the time he went down to the new cache he had built for himself under the basement, he had a message from Sookie on his voicemail.

"Hey, Sweetie. I just wanted to tell you I'll be thinking of you all day and I'll see you first thing when you get up tonight. I love you."

Eric played the message 7 times before he let go and let himself rest for the day.

There was a knock on the door at the Stackhouse residence at 8:45 in the morning, just as Gran was putting the biscuits in the oven.

She went to answer the door, wiping her hands on her blue floral apron, and was surprised to see a gentleman in a suit standing there.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm looking for Sookie or Adele Stackhouse. Do I have the right address?"

"Yes, I'm Adele Stackhouse."

"Can you sign right here, please, ma'am, and we'll get it unloaded for you right away."

She signed where he told her, but was confused. "What exactly are you unloading?"

"Your new lawn mower." He motioned to two workmen at the back of a delivery van and they backed a gorgeous green riding lawn mower off the truck.

"This must be a mistake. We didn't order a lawn mower."

"I was told to deliver it here. It was paid for by a Mr. Northman, so there's no bill. It's the best money can buy - it'll practically run itself. Enjoy it, ma'am!" The man turned and walked away, and the deliverymen loaded back into the truck and left right behind him. Adele was just standing there looking at this beautiful John Deere riding mower. Sookie's new man had apparently bought them a lawn mower.

Adele sat down on the porch for a few minutes thinking about this. On one hand, she and Sookie both told Eric not to buy her expensive presents. On the other hand, they really needed a new mower, and this one was so fancy even Adele could run it. Eric was apparently a rich man, and she guessed Sookie had made an innocent remark and he took it upon himself to do this, because she knew Sookie would never ask for this. Propriety said they should give it back to him. Practicality said to accept it and be grateful. She decided the best thing to do would be to talk to Sookie about it. If Sookie was OK with it, then they would keep it, but if she felt it created any obligation toward Eric because of it, they wouldn't. Adele was pretty sure no pressure was needed to sway Sookie toward Eric. She knew her granddaughter and she knew without a doubt that Sookie was already in love with him. If she hadn't slept with him yet, it was only a matter of time, but she had a feeling the deed had been done.

She got up and went back in to the bottom of the stairs. "Sookie, honey? Can you come down here, please?"

"Sure, Gran, be right down!" Sookie shook the sleep out of her head and realized she was naked again. That made her feel absolutely wicked and she loved it. She grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of her top drawer and hurried down the steps to see what Gran needed. "Mornin', Gran!" Sookie kissed her on the cheek.

"Honey, did you mention anything about our lawn mower to Mr. Northman?"

"Yeah, I guess I did, last night. He asked me what I was going to do today and I told him I had to find somebody to fix it because even Jason couldn't get it started the other day…"

"Look in the front yard."

Sookie looked at Gran strangely and went to the front door. "He didn't!"

"Apparently, he did."

"I told him this wasn't necessary!"

"Did he offer it last night?"

"No, not at all. He didn't say a word."

"How would you feel about keeping it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, would it make you feel obligated to do anything you wouldn't want to do if we accepted it?"

"No, not at all, but I don't want him throwing money at me…."

"This is not money, Sookie, this is something we really need and can't afford."

"Is something burning?"

"My biscuits!" Gran rushed into the kitchen. The biscuits weren't burnt yet, but they were getting there. She put them on top of the stove and told Sookie to sit down while she got sausage and orange juice from the fridge.

"Gran, are you really thinking we should keep it?" Sookie couldn't believe it.

"Well, Sookie, if you're in a relationship with a wealthy man who takes pleasure in making your life easier, it might be wise to accept his help. It's not a diamond bracelet or something frivolous. It's a genuine need." She sat a glass of juice in front of Sookie.

"OK, Gran, I have to tell you something before we decide what to do."

"What is that, Sookie?" Adele braced herself, knowing very well what was coming, not looking up from the sausage she was putting in the frying pan.

"Eric invited me to his house tonight through Tuesday morning and I told him I'd go. I've never been asked to visit a man in his home before, you know, and normally I wouldn't consider it, but Eric is different."

"Different in what way, Sweetheart?"

"I love him and he loves me."

"Well, Sookie, you know I don't want to interfere with your life. You're a grown woman and this was going to happen sooner or later. I do want to ask you if you think it's too early in your relationship for this?"

"No, I don't. With someone else, it might be, but not with Eric. I can't even explain it, Gran, but he's the one…"

"Alright, honey. Is there any chance you'd leave his address and phone number so I'll know where you are?"

"Yes, he told me to do that. He was hoping you wouldn't be angry about this."

"You're going there tonight?"

"Yes, I was going to leave about 5:30."

"Will you feel obligated to do anything you wouldn't do otherwise because of the lawn mower?"

"No, not at all. I mean, of course, I don't want to take advantage of him, but, if you think about it, this was a really thoughtful thing to do. I wasn't hinting around or anything. He asked me what I was doing today and I was half-asleep when I said it. It never occurred to me he'd do something like this."

"Yes, it was very thoughtful. He saw that you needed something and he met that need. That's what a partner should do."

"So, you're OK with all this?"

"I'm worried for you, Sookie, but this is your decision. You're a sensible girl and you've never been this way about anyone before. I'm going to have faith that you'll act with good sense and good taste."

"Thanks, Gran. It really means a lot to me."

"Alright, then, let's have breakfast and then you can try out your new mower."

"OK, sounds like a plan!" 'Wow,' Sookie thought, 'that went much better than I expected it to!' It was funny, but it occurred to her that everything around Eric came really easy. Being around Bill, she nearly got killed how many times? But the minute she met Eric, it was like everything was falling into place for them. As a matter of fact, if not for Eric, she'd be dead right now. He was there for her when she needed him most. It made absolutely no sense, but she knew he always would be.

The mower turned out to have a full tank of gas and it started right up the first try. It handled really easily and Sookie was able to finish the yard in just about 30 minutes. Sookie was making room to park it in the tool shed when Jason drove up. He hopped out of his truck and walked toward the mower and was up to it, whistling, before Sookie saw him coming.

"Hey, Sook – that's a beauty. Where'd it come from?"

"It was sort of a gift."

"Who the hell do you know that can give presents like that?"

"I have a friend who is very well off and he heard me mention that we couldn't start our mower anymore and he had this delivered this morning."

"That wouldn't be this new vampire I've been hearing about would it?"

"Yes, his name is Eric Northman and we're seeing each other."

"Have you fucked him yet?"

"That is none of your business, Jason Stackhouse!"

"You're my sister – I got a right to know if my own sister is a fang banger or not."

"You've got no such thing. Who did you fuck last night, Jason – did you even know her name?"

"Sookie, you and Jason come in the house and stop that fighting." Gran wasn't going to have this. She knew Jason wasn't going to be happy about the situation, but he was going to have to accept it. Whether he did or not, she wasn't going to have them standing in the yard cursing at each other. She raised them better than that.

The two of them turned toward the house but neither was happy about it. Sookie was furious that Jason had spoken to her that way and Jason was not happy at all with what he'd heard about Sookie's new man. Sam Merlotte had bent his ear pretty good the night before and Jason came to the house spoiling for a fight. He didn't want people talking about his sister that way, but he was going to make sure she wasn't a slut before he beat anybody down for saying it.

"What is the matter with the two of you?! Get in this house!" Gran was having none of it.

They walked into the kitchen and Jason exploded. "Is she whoring around with some big rich vampire or not?"

"Jason Stackhouse, don't you ever let me hear you speak to your sister that way, do you understand me?!"

"Gran, you shoulda heard what they were saying about her at Merlotte's last night."

"Who was saying that?" Sookie demanded

"Arlene, mostly, but then Sam told me about this guy. He's got a reputation, Sookie. They say other vampires are afraid of him!"

"He's what they call a Sheriff, Jason, he has authority over them."

"Uh-huh. Why's he buying you expensive presents?"

"It's not a diamond bracelet, Jason, it's a lawn mower. You know better than anybody how bad we need one!"

"What did you have to do to get it?"

"I didn't do anything, Jason. All I did was mention I needed to find somebody to work on ours today and Eric just sent this one over. He's rich, Jason, he just does things like that."

"What does he expect in return?"

"Nothing, Jason. He loves me and he wants to take care of me. I've told him he doesn't need to throw money at me, but he knew we needed this and he knew I'd never ask him for it."

"Damn straight you'd never ask some big vampire for a fancy gift like that. What's got into you, Sookie?"

"Jason, my relationship with Eric is none of your business, you understand me?"

"Jason, you owe Sookie an apology for speaking to her that way and for even thinking such things about your own sister. You know she's a good girl!"

"She used to be, but I don't even know her anymore. Every time I turn around I hear about her running around with a new vampire."

"Oh, big deal, Jason, I've got some new friends. You take a new floozy home every night and we never say anything to you about it!"

"It's different, Sookie, I'm a man. I don't want people thinking my sister is a slut!"

"Look, Jason, I love Eric and he loves me. DEAL WITH IT!"

Jason was really mad now. "You know, Sookie, I'm the man of this family and if you ever speak to me that way again, I'm gonna turn you over my knee, goddamit!"

"JASON!" Gran had reached her limit. "Your sister is an adult and she has as much right to make her own decisions as you do. Don't you ever let me hear you threaten to lay hands on her or you won't be welcome in this house again, is that clear?!"

Jason backed down but he wasn't happy about it.

"Alright, now, Jason, are you here for breakfast?" Gran asked

"No, I came by to find out what the hell Sookie has been up to."

"That is none of your business," Sookie shot back with all the sass she could muster.

"Jason, Sookie has a new boyfriend, I've met him, and he was very polite. He's a responsible businessman and he's been very kind to her. Now I'm not going to have anymore of this fighting between you two. Family comes first, you understand me? If someone talks bad about your sister, you don't run home and accuse her, you stand up to them and tell them she's a good person and you're sure they're wrong. You're supposed to protect her from others, she isn't supposed to need protection from you."

"Yeah, you better hope I don't tell Eric you threatened me. He doesn't think much of you to begin with."

"What's he got against me?"

"Eric is very traditional. He thinks it's your job to support me and Gran. By his way of thinking, you aren't doing your job as a man. You've known for how long we needed a new mower? I know you couldn't afford a fancy one like Eric bought us, but you could have done something to help. You ought to be ashamed that he had to be the one to do it."

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

"Jason Stackhouse, you watch your language." Gran wasn't going to have that in her house. "And, frankly, he has a point. You only want to be the man of this family when it suits you. I wouldn't have wanted Sookie to ask Mr. Northman for his help, but I'm glad he thought enough of her to give her something she really needed. That mower is going to make our lives a lot easier. I can run it myself if I need to!"

"Yeah, I did the whole yard in half an hour and it was easy as pie. It's a really wonderful gift."

"Are you sleeping with him or not?"

"Jason Stackhouse, your sisters private life is just that – private. She doesn't ask you to account for your relationships, now does she?"

"But Gran…"

"Jason, Sookie is 25 years old. She was bound to fall in love at some point and here we are. At least he came to the house and talked with me, and he couldn't have been nicer. He brought me beautiful flowers, and a nice box of candy for Sookie…"

"Speaking of which, where is that?"

"It's in the refrigerator, honey."

"Oh, cool," Sookie went straight to the fridge.

"So that's it? I'm supposed to be happy about my sister runnin' around with a vampire?"

"You don't have to be happy about it, but you do need to have enough respect for her to let her make her own decisions."

"If he tries anything, I'll beat the hell out of him,"

"He'd break you in half, Jason." Sookie said as she tore into the box of expensive chocolates. "He's about 6 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier and he's got arms like tree trunks, plus he's old and vamps get stronger the older they get. He'd swat you like a fly," Sookie bragged.

"'S'at true, Gran?"

"He's a very large man, yes, and apparently quite old and powerful."

"You should see his car, Jason," Sookie teased him, "He's got a screamin' red corvette convertible with all the extras."

"You never been one to care about what kind of car a man drives, Sook," Jason was still not happy about the situation.

"I'd love him with or without the car, but you gotta admit, it's pretty cool."

"Yeah, I guess it would be."

"You'll see it sometime, I'm sure. He's going to be around, Jason. He's not going anywhere."

"Why is Sam Merlotte so upset about all this?"

"Sam has had a crush on me since forever. He's jealous, and so is Arlene. She was the one talking about how good looking Eric is the other day."

"I never did think Sam Merlotte had a proper attitude toward you, Sookie," Gran said with distaste.

"You're worried about Sam, but not this big vampire?" Jason couldn't believe it.

"Jason, I told you, he came to the house like a proper gentleman. He's very handsome and charming and even that night he said if Sookie or I needed anything he'd be happy to do anything he could for us. We told him it wasn't necessary, so he knew Sookie was not going to ask him for help, and he knew we needed a mower. He did exactly what a good boyfriend would do, as far as I'm concerned, he took care of her when she needed it. He promised me she'd be safe when she's with him and I do believe he'll look out for her. That's all I could ask of any man she'd become involved with."

"Want a piece of candy, anybody?" Sookie held the box out. "These are from that fancy store in Shreveport – they're hand made."

"Who brings a girl candy, anyway?" Jason said as he took a piece after Gran picked one out.

"Vamps are old fashioned, Jason. The older ones do very romantic, gentlemanly things. It's like dating a guy from an old movie."

"So you like this guy because he acts like a sap?"

"No, I like this guy because he talks to me and asks questions about me and he knows things like I like stuffed animals and dark chocolate and I need a lawn mower because he actually listens to what I say. No man of any kind ever did that before. He's not afraid of my disability, he thinks I'm beautiful and special and he wants to be with me."

Jason stopped and thought about that for a minute. Everybody thought Sookie was pretty, but everybody he knew was freaked out by her ability. The only guy that didn't seem to be put off by it was Sam, and he just lived in a trailer in back of the bar. He wasn't going to be buying Sookie candy and lawn mowers and he didn't seem the type to hang on her every word, no matter how much he liked her. If he wasn't a vampire, Jason might be happy for Sookie finding somebody.

"You sure it's safe for you to be around him, Sookie?"

"Yes, I'm sure he would never let any harm come to me."

"Alright, I guess, it's your life. If anybody asks I'll tell them he treats you like a lady and they ought to be happy for you that you're happy."

"Thank you, Jason."

"Hey, Gran, any chance I could get something to eat? I ain't had anything yet today except a beer."

"Of course you can. You want breakfast or lunch? It's almost twelve."

"Lunch, I guess."

"I could eat a little, too, Gran, before I get into the shower." Neither Sookie nor Gran had any intention of telling Jason where Sookie was going this evening. The longer he had to get used to the idea of Sookie dating, the better.

"Hamburgers or fried chicken?"

"Chicken." Jason and Sookie said in unison, making Gran laugh.

"Alright, I'll get started on that. While I'm getting lunch you two go out and finish making room in the shed for that mower. We don't want to leave it sitting out. We want to take good care of it so it will last a long time. Sookie, don't let me forget to write Mr. Northman a Thank You note."

"Yes, ma'am"

"OK, let's do it." Jason knew it was too much work for Sookie to rearrange the shed by herself and Gran was right, he wasn't as helpful to either one of them as a good brother or grandson should be. By the time the new mower was neatly tucked into its new home in the shed, Gran was putting fried chicken and mashed potatoes on the table.

"Smells great in here!" Sookie was really hungry, in spite of having had breakfast.

"Yeah, thanks for cookin', Gran."

"Well, I like to see that you two are eating well. I know you live on beer and pizza half the time, Jason."

"I can't cook much except eggs and baloney sandwiches," Jason laughed.

"I'll bet you never even have lettuce for the sandwich, do you Jason?" Sookie teased him.

"No, there's not much green of any kind in my fridge unless I forget to clean it out," he joked.

The mood had lightened considerably and by the time Jason was fed and on his way, it was time for Sookie to start deciding what she needed to take with her and what to wear. She didn't have any proper luggage, so she got the biggest tote bag she had out of the closet and figured that would be enough for just two days. She knew she wanted to take the little pink gown because Eric had said it was 'scintillating,' which she only knew from her Word of the Day calendar, and she'd be there for two nights, so she took two dresses, three pairs of panties, the gown and a little shorts set to wear during the day Monday while Eric was asleep.

She took a book to read and some sample sizes of shampoo and conditioner she bought to try and had never used. At the last minute, she threw in a pink bikini and a beach towel in case Eric had a back yard. She knew Gran would tell her to take a sweater, so she put the one she sneaked into the house with on top of the tote bag and everything just barely fit.

She took a long bath, looked at a magazine and tried to picture what Eric's house would be like. She took extra time with her hair and makeup today, then she put all the makeup she'd need in her handbag, which didn't come close to matching her clothes or the tote bag, but she figured no one would notice. She was jumping out of her skin, scared and excited to see where Eric lived and what it would be like. She made sure her toenails and fingernails were perfect and wrote in her diary about how she was feeling about it all. It was risky, but she decided to take it with her so she could write in it during the day while Eric was asleep.

When she went to get the directions to his house, she noticed the new bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume. She wanted to be mad but she actually thought it was pretty sweet that he'd buy her a really nice perfume and just leave it like that, so she figured the least she could do was wear it for him. She put some on her wrists, ankles, behind her knees and her ears, loving the feminine floral scent. It was the first bottle of "real" perfume Sookie ever owned.

She put on a simple blue sundress and when she had killed all the time she possibly could she decided to go and stop at the store on the way to get some Pop Tarts and yogurt because she figured Eric wouldn't have food at his house. She kissed Gran goodbye and tried to pretend she didn't know Gran was fighting back tears, then she stopped into the IGA. She not only got her favorite blueberry yogurt and scored some unfrosted strawberry Pop Tarts, which are nearly impossible to find, she got some little plastic packets with the stuff to make a tuna salad snack and a couple of granny smith apples. Worse comes to worse, she thought maybe Eric would order a pizza for her or something like that. She was pretty sure he'd do anything like that she requested, since he was good about looking after her.

By the time she was done in the store it was still only ten after five, but she headed for Shreveport, anyway. She managed not to get too nervous until she turned down the lane to Eric's house. She couldn't believe this neighborhood! The houses were far apart and they were huge! She knew to go to the last house on the street and she couldn't believe what she was looking at. It was a white, 4-story Victorian with an attached double garage. There was a freaking fountain with a Goddess or something standing in it in front of the front window, and the house was surrounded by rose bushes and beautiful trees. This had to be the place because the garage door was open and there was Eric's car with an empty space between it and the door into the house.

Sookie took a deep breath and pulled into the garage and was sitting in her car trying to decide what to do when the door from the house opened and a nice, gray-haired lady in a maid's uniform came out and waved at her. Sookie remembered her name was Margaret, so she got out of the car and said hello.

"Miss Stackhouse! I'm so pleased you're here. Did you have any trouble finding the place?"

"Oh, no, it was real easy once I got off the highway. You're Margaret, I guess?"

"Yes, Miss. Do you want me to get the gardener's men to help you with your luggage?"

"Oh, no, thank you, I only have a couple of things," Sookie said as she reached into the back seat. Margaret insisted on taking her tote bag and the groceries and led her into the kitchen, which looked brand new.

"This is gorgeous!" Sookie said before she realized what she was saying.

"Yes, Mr. Northman is making some improvements to the property. There's actually construction going on but he insisted that the house be presentable for you and then they'll continue their work during the week after you gone."

"Oh, I don't want to be in the way!"

"Not at all, Miss. Have you eaten dinner yet? I've got a nice salad prepared and some potatoes baked and I'm ready to throw a steak on the grill for you in no time."

"Oh, well, yeah, if it's no trouble…"

"None at all. I'll set your bag in the living room and it won't take 10 minutes to have your dinner ready for you."

"Thank you." Sookie couldn't believe this place. Eric had a maid and gardeners? She looked around the kitchen and could tell a couple of spots where the stickers on the appliances had just been removed and she could smell fresh paint, though the place had obviously been aired out.

Margaret came bustling back in with a big smile, "how do you like your steak, Miss?"

"Oh, uh, medium-rare, I guess."

"That's fine. Did you want to freshen up first? I can show you to the bedroom or there's a bathroom just off the den there."

"Through here?"

"Yes, Miss, through that door and go all the way to the back toward the TV, then it's to the left."

"Thanks!"

Sookie went through the room and noticed that the carpet looked brand new and the furniture looked as if no one had ever sat on it. There was an incredible home theatre set-up and the couch was one of the biggest she had ever seen and looked kind of plush and soft in a dark brown shade. She found the bathroom and used it then washed her hands and checked her make-up. As she came out, she noticed a tag still on the cabinet to the right of the door and looked inside where there were hundreds of movies still in their wrappers.

She could smell her steak cooking so she went back into the kitchen and sat at the big metal table that sat along one side.

"I'm sorry you have to use the kitchen tonight, Miss, but they're still working in the dining room. It will be one of the last ones finished, I'm afraid." Margaret sat a big salad in front of Sookie with a couple of bottles of dressing.

"Oh, this is fine. I don't want to be any trouble." Sookie said as she poured some blue cheese dressing on her salad and dug in.

"Oh, no, Miss, that's what we're here for. We're all here to make you more comfortable, so you relax and don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything you want or need."

"Are there other maids?"

"Yes, I have a couple of helpers who might be in and out, stocking the pantry and such. One of the girls was assigned to work in the bedroom today, which is very unusual. Normally only the upstairs maid does that, but Mr. Northman didn't want to wait until Monday as he normally does. We'll be changing her schedule so she works on Fridays now, so you'll have a fresh room for your visits. Mr. Northman said that you normally have Mondays off, so we'll adjust to your schedule."

"Oh, but I don't want to put anyone out. I can work around you all."

"Nonsense, dear, we're here for your convenience!" The older lady said as she brought Sookie a gorgeous plate with a big rib eye steak and a baked potato and she sat little dishes of sour cream, butter, and a bottle of steak sauce in front of her.

"Wow, this looks fantastic!"

"Good, I hope you enjoy it. If the steak isn't to your liking just let me know and I'll cook it more or if it's too done I'll throw another one on."

"Oh, no, I'm sure it's fine!" Sookie cut into it and it was perfect. "Actually, it's perfect and it's really tender."

"I'm glad – we just engaged that butcher so I was hoping the quality would be satisfactory."

"So how long has the construction been going on?"

"They started Thursday, actually. They started in the den so there'd be a comfy place to watch TV, and they're nearly, but not quite, done in the living room. Then they'll finish the dining room and move to the second floor. I believe there's going to be a mini-kitchen on the second floor for you that will just have snacks and breakfast items."

"For me?"

"Oh, yes, Miss, so you don't need to come all the way down here to get a snack in the middle of the night."

"All the way? Where is the bedroom?"

"Mr. Northman's personal rooms are on the third floor."

"Is there anything on the fourth floor?"

"Yes, a very large gym where he keeps his swords, and there's a sauna and a massage and meditation room, plus a guest room. Honestly, I think the gym has gotten most use of any of the rooms. Mr. Northman takes his swords very seriously, you know. I'm pretty sure he mostly uses the bedroom to hang his clothes and bathe. Of course, he uses the upstairs office quite a bit, too."

"Is there a downstairs office?"

"Yes, he uses that for meetings with his accountants, lawyers, brokers. You'll see it on your way upstairs. His library is in there, if you'd ever like to find something to read."

"Oh, OK…"

"What time do you normally get up, Miss? Would you like me to come for breakfast or would you prefer to sleep in?"

"Uh, sleep in, I think. I can always just have a pop tart in the morning."

"Those plain strawberry ones are your favorite?"

"Yeah or plain blueberry, too. I don't like the ones with frosting – they don't have enough fruit in them."

"Alright, we'll make sure we have those stocked for you. Is there anything else you particularly like? We can make sure your favorite toiletries are stocked as well. Just leave me a list of what you'd like in the bathroom and it will be here for you the next time you visit. Feel free to call me any time if you need anything at all. Would you prefer to have lunch at noon, 1 or 2 tomorrow?"

"1 o'clock, I guess."

"Alright, and dinner at 6:00?

"Yeah, that's great."

"Do you like seafood? I make a mean Shrimp Étouffée."

"Oh, I love that!"

"Alright, we'll plan that for tomorrow night."

"Good evening, ladies!"

"Eric!" Sookie jumped up and ran to hug him and kiss him. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"I am glad to see you, too, my lover. Don't let me interrupt your dinner, though, eat while it is warm." He motioned for her to sit back down and sat next to her at the head of the table. "Are you ladies getting to know each other?"

"Oh, yes, Mr. Northman, we were just talking about some of her likes and dislikes so we can make her as comfortable as possible. You might want to make a list of foods that you like and don't like and then that list of toiletries we discussed, Miss, and we'll make sure it's all to your liking."

"I really don't want to be any trouble…"

"Making you comfortable is their job, Sookie. The more information they have about you, the easier it is for them to do a good job."

"Oh…. OK…"

"What kind of progress did they make today, Margaret?"

"The den is finished and looks very nice, and the living room is nearly done, so we cleaned it up as well as could be. Frannie should be finishing the third floor now and I called Mrs. Chin and explained about the change of schedule so she'll be doing the third and fourth floors on Fridays now."

"Excellent. How is your dinner, Sookie?"

"Wonderful! I couldn't get a meal like this in a restaurant!"

"Good, good. Did you have a good day today?"

"Oh, I totally forgot! The mower! Thank you so much! We're so grateful, Eric, I don't know what to say. It's going to make our lives so much easier!"

"Did they pick a good one? I told them the approximate size of the yard and said to get the best quality and the easiest to use."

"They did! They bought a John Deere riding mower, which is like the best one made. It only took me half an hour to do the whole yard and it works so easy, even Gran could use it if she wanted to!"

"She was not upset about it, I hope?"

"No, we talked about it and she said that it's what a good boyfriend would do – you saw that I really needed something, and you knew I would never ask for it, so you got it for me. If you had spent money on jewelry or something like that, she wouldn't have been happy about it, but we really, really needed a mower. Ours was pretty much dead. If Jason can't get something running, it's done for."

"Good. I'm glad that I could help. It makes me feel very good to be able to do that for you. I meant what I said, Sookie, I want to help. I'll do anything I can to make your life easier."

"That's really sweet, Eric. I don't want to take advantage, but in this case, you really came through for us. Jason pitched a little fit on me but Gran chewed him out and we both told him he ought to be ashamed that he didn't do something about it sooner so he dropped it."

"Yes, if your brother will not step up for you, I certainly will. Was he very angry?"

"He accused me of some things, like I was afraid of, because Arlene and Sam were running their mouths, but Gran told him it was my business and he was in no position to criticize me. He threatened to spank me, but Gran told him if he ever threatened me again, he wouldn't be welcome back into the house." Sookie finished her dinner and Margaret took the plate away. "Thanks so much, Margaret."

"Not at all, Miss. Would you like a piece of German chocolate cake?"

"YEAH – I mean, if it's not trouble…" Sookie was embarrassed that she answered so quickly at first.

"What would you like to drink with it? Coffee, milk, soda pop?"

"Milk, please?"

"Coming right up."

"Cool," She gave Eric one of her little girl grins and said "that's like my favorite kind of cake!"

Eric was beaming at Sookie. He was so pleased to do anything at all to make her smile. Margaret was beaming a bit, too, so happy to see Mr. Northman with such a sweet young lady after all these years. He was an exceptionally good boss and she always wished he'd meet a nice girl.

Eric enjoyed watching Sookie eat the cake more than she enjoyed eating it, and that was a lot. When she was done, Margaret said good night to them, started the dishwasher and went home for the night, as did her helpers. Eric took Sookie into the living room and they looked around.

"What do you think, Sookie? Do you like the color of the walls or should we change it?"

"I really like that rose color – it goes great with this furniture."

"Come into my office and let me show you the plans." He led her into the downstairs office and showed her three beautiful watercolors of the room in different colors. "What do you think? Which do you like best?"

"They're all pretty. I like the pink one best, but it's your living room, don't you want a more masculine look?"

"No, I want it to suit you. I want people to come in and know that Sookie has been here."

"Well, then, the pink one is definitely me," she laughed. "I couldn't design one I like better than that."

"Alright, and this is the plan for the dining room – see how it coordinates with the living room?"

"That's gorgeous!"

"Good, I'm glad you like it."

"Yeah, what's not to like? Is this the library Margaret was telling me about?"

"Yes – most people think this is my home office, but I only use it for meetings with accountants and such. My real office is upstairs. I'll show it to you when we go up. When you are here tomorrow, feel free to look around and help yourself to anything you like.

"Thanks! I have to tell you, Eric, I'm amazed at this place! I never pictured you in a house like this!"

"Is it better or worse than you pictured?" He put the drawings back into a portfolio.

"Better, and I like it a lot more than I expected to. I thought it would be very masculine, with a big bearskin rug and big wooden furniture."

"No, to me, the house is for the woman. It's about her comfort. A man can live in next to nothing, but you don't take a woman into that. You create a place for her to be the woman you know she can be."

"Wow – you've thought about this a lot."

"I am a thousand years old, my lover – I have thought about everything a lot. I have lived many places in many different conditions. I know what has value and what endures." He came around the desk and leaned back on it, taking her hand and pulling her toward him. He pulled her hands around to circle his waist, then took her face in both of his hands. "This is what matters." He kissed her long and hard, then softer and deeper as she slid her hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

"Sometimes, you seem too good to be real…" Sookie sighed.

"I have other qualities that are equally undesirable. I want you to see all the good before you have to deal with the bad."

"Oh, I see the good, believe me. I'm blown away by all of this."

"Good. Now, did they take your luggage up for you?"

"My handbag and tote bag are in the living room."

"Would you like to go in the den and watch TV or would you like to go up now. There's TV up there as well, but all the DVDs are down here."

"Let's go up. I'm dying to see your bedroom."

"And I am anxious for you to see it. Let's get your bags."

Eric carried her tote bag and the bag of groceries, and led her to the stairway and up. He pointed out the second floor, and showed her where the mini-kitchen would be for her convenience. They proceeded to the third floor, and he led her into his bedroom. Sookie was amazed. It was almost – normal!

The headboard was big, made of wood, carved with intricate detail. The bed was a California king, easily the biggest bed Sookie had ever seen. There were nightstands on each side, a side table with 2 chairs and a dresser, all of oak.

"Is it alright?" He asked, nervous that she hadn't said anything.

"It's wonderful. I don't know what I was expecting, but this is so…"

"Restful, I hope. I like to have a peaceful place to relax and reflect. The bed is very comfortable, and there's a TV in that chest there. I spend a lot of time relaxing in here, watching TV or reading. I call it my cocoon because I sometimes stay in here for a few days at a time."

"Do you sleep in here?"

"Now and then, if there are no servants expected in the day time. Most of the time I rest in a secret place no one but Pam knows about. I'll show it to you later, or tomorrow night." He walked across the room to the table and sat Sookie's groceries on it, then he placed her tote bag in one of the chairs.

"I haven't known you long enough to know what toiletries you like, so Margaret bought some makeup and other things women use and stocked your nightstand there, and the bathroom. She'll buy whatever you want, so do let her know what you like. Please, look around and see what's here."

"OK," Sookie went into the bathroom and saw the biggest bathtub she'd ever seen in her life. "Wow! You bathe in that?"

"Yes, it's very comfortable. If you'd like to take a soak we can do that any time."

Sookie looked in the medicine cabinet – La Mer cleansers and moisturizers, Chanel makeup, Pantene in the shower, Olay soap, a Venus razor. Sookie was amazed.

"There are some things in the nightstand, too."

Sookie checked it out and there were things any girl might want – a manicure kit, more Chanel makeup, Carmex lip balm, a blank journal, a steno pad, some pens, tampons and other necessaries in the bottom drawer.

"Eric, you told me you've never had a girl here before…"

"I haven't."

"Where did all this stuff come from?"

"Margaret put it together for you. If she made any wrong choices, just tell me and we'll get what you'd prefer."

"You honestly did all this for me?"

"Yes, I did. Are you…" he was stopped from speaking when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him as hard as she could.

"I can't believe anyone would think I'm worth all of this, but I'm so grateful that you do that I can't even tell you!" She kissed him again, and again, while her hands were unbuttoning his red silk shirt. Eric unzipped the back of her dress and slipped it off her shoulders, pulling it down over her hips and taking her panties with it and she stepped out of them and her shoes as they hit the floor. She was trying frantically to unbutton his jeans as he threw the bedcovers back and put her on her back in the middle. He kicked off his jeans and crawled over her, giving a predatory growl that she felt in her center as she opened up to him.

He stroked her and probed her and was pleased to find that she was very wet and apparently ready so he took her quickly, making her cry out, not in pain but in relief. The phrase 'this is real – this is being alive' kept running through Sookie's head as she cried out with every thrust. She felt expansively, finally free and she was loud about it. Eric was delighted with the sounds she was making. There was no faking here – Sookie was just letting it all out for the first time, ever, and it was beautiful. SHE was beautiful. If Eric were not already in love with her, he certainly was now.

For the first time he could remember, he wasn't just having sex or even making love – he was making music. She was an instrument he was playing and he wanted to coax every sweet sound in her out to fill the night air. He thought to himself that he wasn't kidding about Sookie being a sexual savant. This girl was born for this, for now, for here, for him. She wasn't having sex – she WAS sex and he caught himself twice almost calling her Freyja. He reached something more like an explosion than a release and he was talking very fast in a language Sookie couldn't understand, but she took it as a good sign.

"Min Vackra Gudinna, Jag älskar dig! Ah, Ah Ahhhhh" his voice rose up in a howl and Sookie was coming so hard she actually strained the muscles in her legs. Eric collapsed beside her, both of them staring at the ceiling, It was at least 5 minutes before either could speak.

"Wow – why do people ever do anything else?" Sookie finally said, and Eric cracked up.

"You are a miracle, Sookie," he laughed loudly.

"Are you making fun of me?

He rolled toward her, "no, my lover, I am in awe of you. I cannot believe that a woman as sensual and lusty as you made it to 25 without having sex."

"Oh, yeah…" she said, then added wickedly, "maybe I saved it all up to unleash it on you!"

"I could not have said it better myself. Come here," he pulled her close and began to nip at her shoulders and neck.

"Eric?"

"Yes, my beautiful lover?"

"Teach me everything."

Eric laughed loudly again.

"You're laughing at me?"

"No, my lover, I am not. I am delighted with you. What do you want me to teach you?"

"Everything, you know… I want to be the best you ever had. Teach me how."

"That is a promise, my lover."

"I'm serious, Eric, tell me what to do next."

He nuzzled her ear, "suck my cock."

Sookie had no idea how to do that well, so she just moved down and started. Eric couldn't stop himself from moaning – it felt too good. He actually wondered if she hadn't done this before, it came to her so naturally, but he was sure this had to be her first time. She held him firmly and tried everything she could think of with her tongue and her teeth. Eric was gently stroking her chin to encourage her, and had his other hand in her hair, but was resisting the urge to push her down because he didn't want to scare her. Sookie alternated between wondering if she was doing it right and wondering at how much she liked doing this. She knew men liked it a lot but it never occurred to her that women might like doing it. Until now, it seemed like a strange thing to do, but at the moment if felt like the most natural thing in the world. She knew enough from reading to brace herself when he finished and to swallow it down quickly. Eric was speaking that language again.

Sookie moved up and stroked Eric's hair as he enjoyed the afterglow, and asked, "was that alright?"

"That was much better than alright, Sookie. Have you done that before?"

"No – why?"

"You do it very well, my lover," he stroked her cheek. "Very well, indeed."

"Is that Swedish you speak when you … you know?"

"When I come? Yes, that's Swedish."

"What do you say?"

"I said the same thing every time – my beautiful Goddess, I love you."

"Honest?"

"Honest."

"When was the last time you said that to somebody…"

A drop of blood ran from Eric's eye, down toward his ear as he looked at the ceiling.

"Are you OK?" Sookie was afraid she said the wrong thing.

He looked at her as she sat next to him with those big trusting eyes. "Sookie, do you love me?"

"Yes, Eric, you know that."

"If I promise to answer that question completely some other time, would you be willing to wait?"

"Yeah, I guess… did I say something wrong?"

"No, you didn't, I just don't think you're ready to hear the answer. I'm asking you, if you love me, to wait until I am ready to tell you about it."

"OK, sure."

He held his arm open to her and she snuggled into his side as he pulled her close to him. "You have goose bumps, Sookie, you're cold. Let's get under the covers for a bit and talk.

"We're going to have more sex, though, promise?" she was hopeful as she crawled under the covers with him, and snuggled back up.

"Oh, yes, we're going to have lots more sex. We have many hours before dawn. I'm going to keep you up all night and then you can sleep late tomorrow."

"Good, I want to make the most of our time here."

"So do I, even though I hope you'll come back next Sunday, too."

"Sure, Eric, I'd love that. Will I see you during the week, though?"

"I'll try to make sure we don't go two days without seeing each other. Most nights during the week, I'll come tapping at your window, then we'll have our days off together every week. Wednesday and Saturday nights I'm most likely to be busy, so keep that in mind."

"Am I allowed to ask what you do then?"

"Yes, those nights I have to be available to do Sheriff's duties so I need to be at Fangtasia for a good part of the night. You're always welcome to come there, if you want, though I certainly understand if you don't want to."

"Would I be in the way?"

"No, but you might be bored."

"At Fangtasia? You're kidding!?"

"No, you'd mostly be sitting up front with me. Of course, as an added incentive, I can sneak down to the basement with you and show you what's down there."

"What is down there?"

"A big round bed," he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she giggled.

"I guess that's where the real action takes place, right?"

"Oh, yes, my dear, and a good deal of that education you just requested will take place down there." He nuzzled her neck and squeezed her breast and she purred at him.

"So that's where I learn the kinky stuff?" she giggled.

Eric laughed as he stroked her shoulder and arm "in a manner of speaking. We'll go slowly, a little at a time, and you never have to do anything you don't want to."

"But I want to do everything." She was absolutely serious.

He laughed, "we are still going to go slowly. I don't want to overwhelm you and scare you. We have plenty of time to explore all there is to explore."

"We do?"

"Hopefully, yes."

"I'll get old, though."

"That depends. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I don't?"

"No, if we were blood bonded you could stay as young and beautiful as you are now for 50 or 60 years."

"You're kidding?"

"No, not at all. And, of course, you always have the option of coming over."

"You mean becoming a vampire?"

"Yes. That would be your choice, of course, and you'd have a long time to think about it."

"Wow – I never even considered the possibility of that."

"It's something to think about, some day. For now, we still have plenty of time."

"How does a blood bond keep you young so long?"

"Well, bonded couples usually exchange blood regularly and that keeps the human in perfect form for a long time. Your skin would be perfect, for example, and your hair would stay bright and beautiful, your flesh would stay firm. There are many advantages."

"And I could feel what you feel?"

"Yes, and find me if you needed to, just as I can find you now if I need to."

"I could?"

"Oh, yes – you would know when I was coming closer, you would be able to come straight to me in an emergency. You would feel wonderful when you were in my presence, and I in yours."

"I already do, though," she said in all seriousness.

"Not like this. You've never felt anything so good as being with your bonded. It is an indescribable joy."

"It's not as good as an orgasm, though, right?"

"In a different way, yes, it is."

"Wow."

"Yes, it's very special."

"So why don't vampires bond with humans all the time?"

"Because your love for the other can be a double-edged sword. You feel more wonderful than anything else in the world can feel, but if you lose your bonded, it feels just that bad. Many bonded who survive their partner do not live long after. Some pine and waste away, some take their own lives. You have to love the other person enough to make it worth risking that kind of suffering."

"Like when you were bonded – you said you'd never regret it and you're glad you can't forget her?"

"Yes. I was wild with grief for decades after, though, and only a miracle kept me from taking my own life…"

"A miracle? Is that just an expression or do you mean that literally."

"I'm talking about literal Divine intervention."

"What happened?"

"Remember earlier when I asked you to wait until I was ready?"

"Yes… oh. You do promise to tell me at some point, though, right?"

"At some point, Sookie, I promise you, I will tell you everything about it."

"When you trust me more?"

"No, it's not about trust. It's about preparedness. You must see more of my world before I can even begin to explain it."

"There's a lot more in the world, isn't there? I mean, more than vampires?"

"Yes, there is."

"I thought so. I've seen other things that I thought weren't human, but I didn't know what they could possibly be. I think some of them think differently, too."

"Differently? You mean when you hear them telepathically?"

"Yeah, certain people don't really think in sound, they think in pictures. Their thoughts are very different. Like my boss, Sam. He's one of them. I get these flashing images instead of words."

"Your boss is a Supe."

"What's a Supe?"

"A Supernatural being. That's how we refer to ourselves to distinguish us from humans."

"Sam is a Supe?"

"Yes, he is. That might be why his thoughts seem different to you."

"What is he?"

"He's a Shifter."

"What's that?"

"He can shape shift into at least one other animal, maybe more."

"Like a werewolf?"

"Weres are their own category – there are many of them. You probably know some and don't realize it."

"Weres – so they're real?"

"Yes, and there are other Were animals – some are panthers, tigers, bears, many things. They are called whatever they become – were-panthers, were-bears, etc."

"Have you ever seen one change?"

"Oh, yes, in war they often change and fight. Weres are particularly strong and vicious, and they're very big when they are transformed."

"Will I ever get to see anything like that?"

"Probably. Vampire royalty often uses Weres to provide security for their retinue during the daytime."

"And I'll see vampire royalty?"

"Yes, if we are still together, and you are prepared, I'm going to take you to a large convention of vampires where there will be many royals and Supe elders."

"Really!?"

"Oh, yes, I plan to show you all of the world."

"When is it?"

"The convention? September."

"Wow! That's going to be so cool!"

"I hope you think so at the time. There can be intrigue and fights at such gatherings, so you should be prepared for that."

"You said if I was prepared. What would I have to do?"

"We would have to be bonded. Otherwise, it would be too dangerous to take you around so many powerful vampires."

"Why's that?"

"They might try to force you to bond to them so they could use your ability for their own purposes. You are in danger of that, even now."

"So they might try to control me?"

"Yes – you could become a virtual slave if you were not under my protection."

"So if we were bonded, I'd be safe?"

"Safer, at least. If we are bonded, they could only take you from me if they killed me."

"Oh, no!"

"I have stayed alive a thousand years, Sookie. No one will be able to kill me. We will be very careful. Plus, if we go, I'll work out a deal so that you are under my Queen's protection as well."

"What kind of deal?"

"She will probably pay you a lot of money to use your telepathy for her. If you are in her employ, you will have her protection, even more so than you'd have if you attended just as my guest."

"She would actually pay me?"

"Oh, yes, and very well. You could make more in one weekend than you make in an entire year at Merlotte's, especially if you allow me to negotiate for you. I know better than anyone what your value to the Queen would be, and what she would be willing to pay. Your gift has great value – I will make sure that you are properly compensated and protected for its use."

"I'm just curious – what if they didn't know about my ability?"

"That's just it, Sookie. I don't know how, but I'm sure Sophie Ann already knows about you. I believe that is why Compton came back to Bon Temps."

"You mean he was looking for me?"

"I believe so, yes. I think she sent him here to persuade you to work for her, or to create a bond with Bill so you could not refuse."

"He wouldn't have tricked me into a bond, would he?"

"You said you tasted him twice and he never warned you."

"No, he didn't. You think that was the plan? That's awful!"

"Yes, it is, and it could have been horrible for you. That's why I am so anxious to protect you, Sookie. Now that you are known to the power structure, you are in danger until you are protected."

"And being bonded with you would protect me?"

"Yes, it would protect you from almost everyone. Only the most powerful vampires would even consider interfering with a bonded couple. Our laws forbid it, because it is such an important connection."

"Some of them still might be willing to break the law, though, right?"

"It is possible, but not as likely. Unless you are bonded, any vampire could target you, and many of them could be very cruel."

"I won't do anything I don't want to do, though."

"You might not have a choice. You could be compelled to do what they wanted, either through a forced bond or through torture or coercion. Vampires are not like people, Sookie, they can be even more cruel and calculating, as can Supes of other kinds. Their motivations are very different from a human's."

"So if Sophie Ann already knows about me, there's no turning back?"

"No, my lover, I'm afraid the only question now is for whom you will work and under what circumstance. As my bonded, I can offer you more protection than anyone else could."

"If I'm bonded to you, Sophie Ann can't make me bond to her?"

"Not while I am alive."

"But that puts you in danger – why would you do that?"

"Because I love you and I want to keep you safe."

Sookie moved closer to Eric and wrapped her arm tightly over him as he cuddled her close. Eric knew she was processing what he had told her, and she needed to feel safe in his arms. The safest he could make her would be if they were both bonded and married, but he knew it was too soon to push for that.

'One step at a time,' he told himself. 'Once we have the bond, then I push for the marriage. It's for her own good. Now that she is known, this is the best way to protect her.' He didn't let himself think about the fact that he wanted to marry her whether she needed protection or not. He would do anything he could to keep her, now that he finally found her.


	6. Chapter 6

**[**The movie referenced herein is** Sense and Sensibility **starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant. Highly recommended. Enjoy!]

**A New Dawn**

AHH!

AHH!

AHH!

AHH!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHeeeeeeeeeeeeuh!

Sookie collapsed across the bed face down, laughing and gasping for breath.

Eric leaned down and bit her bottom cheek, making her squeal, before he flopped down beside her.

"Is that what they call "doggie-style?"" she asked him when she could speak.

"Yes, it is – though I picture myself more as a lion," Eric laughed.

"I can see that – I love your lion's mane. How come women complain about doing it that way? That's my favorite so far!"

"I think some women think that if you are not looking at their face, you are objectifying them."

"I don't get that. It's so deep that way and I can control it and really focus on what I'm feeling. Plus, you can reach me with your hand, or I can, and that makes it even better! I don't get people sometimes…"

Eric was just laughing with delight. "What don't you get?"

"Why they would make sex political that way, or why they would turn it into something ugly. It's so awesome!"

"Most people are not as good at it as we are," Eric laughed.

"For real, or are you kidding?"

"For real. I've had a millennium of practice and you are a sexual savant."

"OK, I'm just going to ask… what the hell does that mean?"

"Well, a savant is someone who is very skilled. Sometimes there are people called savants who are mentally disabled, but they are very skilled in one particular thing…"

"Oh, I saw a movie about kids like that once – this one boy couldn't speak, but he could draw these amazing birds, and some kids were only able to communicate by doing calculations of a certain kind."

"Exactly. They have an unusual gift in one specific area, even if their other faculties are lacking."

"I'm not lacking, though, right?"

"No, you are perfect, but you are still a savant when it comes to sex. It takes most women time to learn to come – some never really do. You took to it right away and you have spectacular orgasms. Either that, or you're really good at faking it…" he teased her.

"Faking it? Why would someone do that? I mean, I've heard people joke about having a headache, and then about it being enough already and just wanting to get some sleep..."

"Where did you hear that?" Eric asked in amazement and amusement.

"I'm not sure – that show **Seinfeld**, maybe?"

Eric cracked up. "Well, I do know that you aren't faking because I can feel what you feel. It's quite impressive."

"I guess you've been with a lot of women who have had your blood so you knew what they were feeling?"

"Yes, and believe me when I say you have a gift. I'm not just flattering you, Sookie. I mean the things I say to you, more than I care to admit. You are proficient in things you couldn't possibly know."

"Show me something new!" she giggled as she pushed up on her hands and knees.

"Alright, you'll like this. Let me move to the middle of the bed."

She moved up to the head of the bed and let him get right in the middle of the bed, still sideways. He held his hand out to her and guided her to straddle him.

"Oh, I see this in movies all the time!"

"You'll like it – it will give you a lot of control. It will be like you're fucking me instead of me fucking you."

"Awesome!'

Eric laughed as he helped her lower herself onto his cock and she made the sexiest face as she did – like she was feeling the most wonderful thing in the world. He held his hands up and they meshed their fingers so she was able to brace against them to help her move. It didn't take long before Sookie was riding him like a mechanical bull and he was in heaven. It flashed through his mind that she was completely at ease with him – she wasn't showing any shyness or self-consciousness and he thought that was remarkable considering her lack of experience and how short a time they had known each other. Of course, if he was right about "whom" Sookie really was, it made perfect sense. It was all strangely… no, _preternaturally_, perfect.

After a few minutes, Eric put his arms around Sookie and sat up, and she automatically leaned back and brought her legs around straight, then wrapped them tightly around him. They locked in a deep, slow kiss as Sookie's movements became slow and deliberate, in a move that Eric would normally associate with tantric yoga. She was showing skills that a trained yogini would spend months, if not years, learning. They pressed their foreheads together and concentrated on the connection between them, and Eric felt a rush of energy he had only ever felt once before. Their movements were in perfect synchrony, and at one point, it was as if time slowed down, or they were moving in slow motion, or in some thick, fluid energy. Suddenly, from down deep, there was a surge of energy that shot from their genitals up through their spines and met where their foreheads were pressed together. For a minute, there was nothing – no sound, no feeling, just nothing.

"She's home!"

That was the first thing Eric was aware of when it – whatever "it" was – was over. He heard Her voice and knew exactly what She meant. He opened his eyes, and they were lying side by side in bed, the covers pulled up over them. What the hell just happened?

Eric rolled on his side and looked at Sookie's face, and in a minute, she opened her eyes, smiling.

"That was amazing!" She said sweetly.

"Yes, it was." He didn't want to scare her and tell her he had no idea what happened or that he'd been unconscious, and he was trying desperately to figure out how to tell if she had been, too.

"Is it always like this?" She asked him as she moved as close to him as possible.

"No, Sookie, it is never like this. This is new, even to me."

"How is that possible?"

"You'll learn eventually that everything is possible, my lover. The world is so complex that even I can still be surprised." He kissed her hair and held her tight, and tried not to cry in front of her. His mind was spinning – why her? Why here? Why now?

He found himself wondering again if a vampire could be glamoured. He had so many questions and no one to ask them of – he needed a Witch or a wizard, someone who knew about Supes and magick. Ironically, the person best qualified to recommend someone was Sophie Ann.

Eric looked at the clock. 5:16. He had just enough time to make a phone call before he went to rest. Sookie was dozing off, so he let her drift away, then kissed her, wrote her a note and went to his cache for the day. He pulled out his cell as soon as he was settled.

"Sheriff Northman?"

"Yes, Andre – is she available? I need a referral from her."

"Just a moment."

"Eric, darling, how are you?"

Good. She doesn't know yet.

"I'm fine, my Queen, but I need a referral. You wouldn't happen to know any Witches, would you?"

"Ooh, I'm intrigued. Anything I can help with?"

"It's not related to my office. It's a personal matter. I just need a little information and I knew you were the most well connected person of my acquaintance."

"Hang on…" She spoke to someone in the background and he heard a young woman giggle. "Eric – I think I have someone for you if you don't mind that she's in New Orleans."

"That would be fine, actually, if she's good."

"My dear Hadley assures me that she's quite skilled. Her name is Amelia Broadway."

"Does she know her well?"

"She's her landlady, but they're much friendlier than you might expect."

Eric wrote down the phone number and email address and thanked Sophie Ann profusely as she promised him an invitation to her party next month at the mansion. He pulled his laptop off the recessed shelf and sent an email to the Witch requesting a consultation by phone or in person, as she preferred:

_Hello, Ms. Broadway,_

_I am Sheriff of Vampire Regent Area 5 in Louisiana, located in Shreveport. I was referred to you by your tenant Hadley and her friend Sophie Ann. I find myself in need of a practioner who has some expertise in dealing with Divine Feminine energies, most specifically, the Goddess Freyja._

_I require absolute discretion in this matter. I can come to New Orleans if necessary or would be happy to pay your way here if you'd like to consult personally. I hope you will reply at your earliest convenience, as there is some sense of urgency in this situation. _

_Warmest regards,_

_Eric Northman_

He went to rest hoping that this Witch was competent and discrete, and immediately available, because he needed some independent confirmation of what he thought was going on.

**

"Good morning, Miss Stackhouse!"

Sookie's eyes flew open. Where the hell was she? Oh, yeah – Eric's house. Margaret was standing beside the bed with a tray and a huge smile, and Sookie realized to her complete mortification that she was naked under the covers.

"Good morning, Margaret – did I oversleep?"

"Well, it is 1 o'clock and I knew you might want to sleep in, so I brought you a lunch tray. You can eat your sandwich and chips and go right back to sleep. This turkey will knock you right out."

Sookie held the covers tightly to her chest as she sat up in the bed and Margaret got her settled.

"This sandwich is gorgeous!" It was in a long, fresh Italian roll like they use for a sub and there had to be 2 pounds of meat in it, with lots of fixin's on the side these cute little dishes.

"Oh, I hope you enjoy it. I had to guess at what you might like. I figured most girls like turkey because it's low in fat and then I figured you might like a few baked potato chips with it. I put a little Ho-Ho there for dessert, too. Now, if you want anything else to eat, just say the word."

"This looks fantastic. You even got one of my favorite kinds of soda pop. I love Diet Rite cola."

"Oh, good. I was guessing at that, too, but I figured the no caffeine and no sodium and no calories was a safe bet." Margaret was very cheerful, almost beaming at Sookie. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Oh, no, this is fantastic!"

"Would you like the TV on, Miss?"

"Uh, yeah, I don't know where it is…"

"The controls are always right here on Mr. Northman's nightstand. You press this button," she held it down to show her, "and there's the TV."

A big flat screen TV rose up out of a cabinet at the end of the bed, almost like magick.

"Wow!"

"Alright, you press this button to bring up the guide, this one to change channels. You've got all the premium channels to choose from."

"Wow!" Sookie couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Alright then, if there's nothing else, I'll go and I'll check back with you in a bit."

"Thank you so much!" Sookie was amazed. She never knew a turkey sandwich and some television could evoke so many feelings. She was embarrassed at being seen naked in Eric's bed, and at this late hour; she was blown away by the idea that a maid brought her breakfast in bed; she felt like Alice in Wonderland when she saw the TV rise up seemingly out of nowhere; she was crazy in love and she was WAY beyond her "raisin's" here in this fancy mansion full of servants. She hoped they didn't all think she was a bumpkin, or even worse, a whore.

To be fair, though, she got nothing at all like that from Margaret's thoughts. Mostly, she was happy Eric found someone to love, which aroused Sookie's curiosity. Why would a servant be so invested in her boss's love life? She'd have to ask Eric how long Margaret had worked for him. Maybe there was a back story there that she ought to know? Everywhere she looked in this place, there were things that provoked question after question. Tonight, before she and Eric went to bed, she was going to make sure she got a few answers so she'd understand more about the dynamics in the house. Everything here was so different than anything she had expected, that she was brimming with curiosity.

She had lots of time to think while she ate that huge sandwich and she decided it might be a good idea to ask Eric to watch a movie after dinner so they could talk a bit. If they came straight upstairs, she knew not much talking was going to happen. That big new couch in the den looked really comfy and she could definitely see snuggling up and talking down there for a while before they had more sex.

There was no light of any kind coming in around the windows, and Sookie wondered if there was any chance of lying in the sun after she ate. She could always doze as she did, so she'd get sleep and a tan at the same time. She wondered if she should shower before tanning, but then she'd be sweaty. She could shower after tanning before dinner, but that might eliminate the possibility of soaking in the big tub, and she was hoping they could do that before bed. While she was trying to work that out, she realized that she really ought to call Gran and put her mind at ease.

She looked around and saw the phone on Eric's nightstand, so she reached for the silver-gray handset and dialed her house number. The phone only rang once.

"Hello?" Gran's obviously anxious voice cracked a little.

"Hi, Gran. I just wanted to call and see how you're doing today. I just woke up and I'm eating lunch."

"Did Mr. Northman have food in the house?"

"Yeah, actually, his maid made me a gorgeous turkey sub. She's really nice."

"He has a maid?"

"Several, actually, and gardeners and I don't know what all. He's having some work done in his house, but when it's done, I want you to come and see how nice it is. It's so normal looking. It's a Victorian, 4 stories high, and there's an attached garage. I haven't seen out back yet, but the house itself is just beautiful."

"That sounds very nice. So you're not alone there?"

"No, there are lots of people around here in the day time. They seem to go home right after dinner, or they did last night, so Eric and I were alone. He's even having things done to the house just to make it more convenient for me."

"Oh, my!"

"Yeah, and you should see – the maid has the bathroom and my nightstand stocked with about any kind of toiletry or cosmetic I'd ever want or need."

"Does he have women there often?"

"No, I'm the first one ever. I know I shouldn't, but I listened in to the maid a little earlier and she's really happy he found someone. She really likes him and likes working for him."

"Well, that's very nice to know that he's a good employer."

"Wait until you see how pretty it is, Gran. If you told me that the guy who owns Fangtasia lived in a house like this, I'd never have believed it. He's so much more than meets the eye – though what meets the eye is pretty wonderful!"

"Well, I'm glad you're having a good time. And you're sure you feel safe there?"

"Honestly, Gran, I never felt safer in my life. I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be."

"That's lovely, Sweetheart! You'll be home tomorrow, then?"

"Yes, I'll drive home as soon as I wake up. I have the late shift at Merlotte's so that will give me plenty of time to have dinner and get ready. Did you happen to do laundry today?"

"Yes, so you've got clean uniforms waiting for you on your dresser."

"Oh, cool – thank you! Do you need me to stop at the store or anything on my way home tomorrow?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but that might save me a trip into town. I'll have to see what we need…"

"OK, well, make a list and I'll call you tomorrow before I leave here."

"Alright, honey, I'll do that."

"OK, I probably better not run Eric's phone bill up. Is there anything else you need before I go?"

"No, everything here is just fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow. You be careful, Sookie."

"I will, Gran. Don't worry about me."

"Bye-bye, now!" Gran hung up the phone, still a little worried, but sure about two things – first, she was sure that by now Sookie had had sex with Mr, Northman, and second, she was head over heels in love with him. She just hoped he was an honorable man who wouldn't suddenly break Sookie's heart, but there was a part of her that felt an odd sense of calm around the whole situation. When Sookie told her she was right where she was supposed to be, some part of Gran agreed with that.

Sookie finished her sandwich with great relish, and laughed at herself because of it. Either Margaret knew some secret to making turkey taste better than it ever did, or Sookie was just loving everything associated with Eric. She was considering tearing into the Ho-Ho when Margaret came back to check on her.

"Hello, Miss. How did you enjoy your sandwich?"

"I loved it. I don't know what you did to it, but it was the best turkey sandwich I ever had, and I'm not exaggerating at all!"

"Oh, good, I'm so glad you enjoyed it."

"Hey, what's the weather like outside today?"

"It's very nice out, Miss. It's warm and sunny, and there are just a few clouds in a perfect blue sky."

"Cool – is there a back yard? Would I be in the way if I went out to lie in the sun?"

"You wouldn't be in the way at all, Miss. The gardeners usually mow on Fridays and Tuesdays, so you won't be disturbed. There are some nice lounge chairs out there. Do you need anything else?"

"I brought my suit and my beach towel, but I forgot to bring a radio. You wouldn't happen to have one around, would you?"

"Yes, I believe there's a battery operated radio in the pantry that we keep in case of storms. You're welcome to use that. I'll go make sure it's got fresh batteries for you. You just come down whenever you want and I'll help you get settled."

"Thank you so much! I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Alright, Miss," Margaret smiled at her as she took the tray back down to the kitchen with her. "Oh – I think this is for you." She handed Sookie an envelope that had her name written on it in very pretty script.

Sookie looked at the nice parchment paper and the beautiful handwriting, wondering what it could be, and she opened it very carefully in case it was something she wanted to keep.

_My Sookie, _

_I have no words to tell you how much I enjoyed our time together last night, or what it meant to me. I'm planning to keep you up late again tonight, so rest if you can today. Feel free to look around the house and use or help yourself to anything you like. I want you to be comfortable here. If you need or want anything, just tell Margaret and she'll see to it. If you have the time, please make those lists of toiletries and foods that you like and leave them with her. _

_Enjoy your day. I can't wait to see you._

_Love,_

_Eric_

Sookie was overwhelmed. No one had ever written her a note like that and she tried very hard not to cry, but her eyes did well up and spill over a bit. She said a little prayer that if this was a dream, she never wake up. It was all too perfect and now that she'd been here, she couldn't go back to being alone. She realized she was being maudlin so she tried to shake it off and get on with her day. She carefully folded the note and put it back into the envelope, then stuck it between the pages of her diary.

Sookie decided a quick shower, just in case, was her best bet and she'd leave her hair wet and put it up. In just a few minutes she was in her bright pink suit with her towel wrapped around her waist and bouncing down the stairs. She stopped off on the second floor, just to look around, though it was obviously under construction. The area to the right was being turned into the kitchenette she had been told about, and there was already a fridge in place, but not in use yet, cupboards that were so new the tags were still on them, and an island that was apparently not quite where it would finally sit. She went down the hall and found that there were three bedrooms that were all newly painted and each had a big brass bed in it but no mattresses or linens yet. There was a nice bathroom halfway down the hall on the left, between two of the rooms, and there was a big closet that had some linens and towels in it.

She went on down to the first floor, which was gorgeous in the daylight. The front windows were open so the fountain was visible, and the doors to what she was pretty sure was the dining room were open and people working in there. She heard a woman's voice in there giving directions. Sookie started into the kitchen but she was called back.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

"Yes?" Sookie was shocked at being addressed by the tall, elegant woman standing in the dining room doorway.

"Are you Sookie, by any chance?"

"Yes, I am."

"Wonderful! I'm Giselle Antoine-de Broux, the decorator. I was hoping I could show you a few things and get your input on them?"

"My input?"

"Yes, Mr. Northman said to make sure that everything was to your liking."

"Oh…"

"Can you step into the dining room for just a second and look at a couple of things?"

The woman showed Sookie half a dozen swatches and a couple of sketches, asking her preferences on things like furniture and window treatments. It only took 10 or 15 minutes, but her head was spinning by the time she went out to the back yard. There was a lounge chair on the opposite side of a big blue tarp that had a towel spread on it and a table next to it that held a pitcher of sweet tea, a glass and a radio. Thoughts of the decorator were quickly replaced with a burning desire to know what was under the blue tarp. Once she found a station she liked on the radio and settled back in the chair, she promptly fell asleep.

Sookie had no idea that is was about three o'clock when Margaret said softly, "You might want to turn over now, dear and get your back tanned."

Sookie sleepily turned over and Margaret helped her undo the back of he bikini so she had no lines on her back. Sookie was right back to sleep before Margaret made it into the back door.

The next thing Sookie knew, she felt a little chill. She looked around and realized that the sun had gone down behind the trees at the back of the property and it was a little bit cold now. She fiddled with the back of her suit and once she managed to get it in place, she got her stuff together and went into the kitchen.

"Wow, it smells great in here!" Sookie said as she came in the door.

"You said you liked Shrimp Étouffée, yes?"

"Yeah, I did. Is that what I smell?"

"Yes, it is, Miss. Are you ready to eat?"

"Um – should I get dressed first?"

"Not to sit in the kitchen. Just have a seat and I'll bring you a big bowl."

"OK, thank you!"

In no time at all, Margaret set a bowl of Étouffée and rice in front of her that was unreal – it was big, it was just spicy enough and it was delicious. "Wow – these shrimp are huge! I hope you didn't go to a lot of expense on my account…"

"Not at all, Miss. I'm glad you like it. I made a lot of it, so eat all you want. I'll put the extra in a Tupperware container and you can take it home with you. Mr. Northman said you live with your grandmother, so you can share it with her and she won't have to cook for one night."

"Oh, that's so thoughtful! Thank you so much!"

Sookie ate the first bowl with great relish, then started another as she filled out the lists Margaret had requested so she could shop for her. She even asked for Sookie's clothing sizes, though Sookie couldn't imagine why she'd need them.

Sookie was nearly done with her second big bowl when she heard, "Hello, Ladies!"

"Eric!" She jumped up and hugged him and he laughed with delight.

"How are you, dear one? Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah, I did, it was great."

"You look tan – you have been in the sun?" Eric motioned for her to sit back down and eat.

"Yeah, I was out in the back yard – you don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all. Is that something you enjoy?"

"Oh, yeah, I love it. I always joke and say tanning is my only vice."

"You are wearing a bathing suit. Do you like to swim?"

"Yeah, I love it, but I don't get to go much."

"Why not?"

"People at the county pool are afraid of me because… well, you know, so I don't go much anymore. I have a sprinkler in my yard I run through to cool off."

"If you had a pool, you would swim?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Did you notice the blue tarp in the back?"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to miss. What's under it?"

"A swimming pool."

Her eyes got huge. "You have a swimming pool in your back yard!? That's so cool!"

"I've never opened it since I've lived here. Would you like me to engage the pool services and get it opened for you?"

"Oh – well, I don't want you to go to any expense…"

"Actually, now that I think about it, a moonlight swim with my Sookie sounds very pleasant." He stroked her cheek and gave her a smoldering look.

"Yeah, I guess it would be, especially on a hot, Louisiana night."

"Alright, I'll have my day man arrange for the work and we'll see if we can't have it ready for you the next time you visit."

"Really?!" Sookie was trying to hold back how excited she was, but it was hard because she always wanted a private swimming pool. "That'd be really nice…"

Eric laughed because he could see how excited she was at the prospect and knew she didn't want to admit how much she would like it. He could feel what she was feeling, though, and it made him very happy, indeed.

"So, what shall we do tonight, my Sookie?"

"Did you have anything planned?"

"No, it's entirely up to you – any ideas?"

"Well, I thought it might be nice to snuggle on that big couch in the den and watch a movie, then soak in that big bathtub of yours…"

"Mmmm – that sounds very nice. What movie shall we watch?"

"I don't know what you have – do you have a favorite?"

"I'm not sure what's in there, either. I've only looked at them briefly."

"You bought movies you never watched?"

"I haven't had them very long. I had my day man buy a bunch of movies a young lady might like. If there's anything particular that you want that isn't there, let Margaret know."

"What kind of movies do you like?"

"Happy ones. I've seen so much killing and war, that I don't care much for war movies or those with a lot of shooting or suffering. I enjoy nice scenery and good manners in movies and books – things that are soothing rather than stimulating. Have you ever read Jane Austen?"

"The name sounds familiar. Is that a book?"

"She's a writer of half a dozen novels or so. A lot of young women enjoy her work. I thought you might have read some in school."

"No, I don't think so. Did they make movies about her books?"

"Yes, they've made several. I thought I saw one of two in the cabinet the other day. They take place in the Regency period in England so Pam loves them. When I found her, she had some of the books in her room."

"The Regency period? Is that when you met her?"

"No, just after – more the Edwardian to Victorian Era."

"That's English history, right? I don't know much about it."

"Yes, I've taken a few of history classes over the last fifty years or so, and read a great deal. Plus, I dated a librarian in the 80's who schooled me in English literature."

Sookie cracked up. "You dated a librarian?!"

"Yes, I did. I met her at an S&M club – still waters run deep, you know…" he wiggled his eyebrows and Sookie laughed though she wasn't really sure what he meant. She wasn't sure what an S&M club was but she was pretty sure it had to do with kinky sex. That created the most delicious mixture of fear and arousal in her that Eric could scarcely conceal his awareness of it.

"OK, I guess I'm done eating. That was really great, Margaret."

"Did you want dessert?' Eric asked, "Margaret, did you make anything else for Sookie?"

"Strawberry shortcake, sir."

"Ooh! I love strawberries!" Sookie reacted before she remembered her manners. "I mean…"

"Coming right up, Miss. Did you tell Mr. Northman that you spoke to the decorator today?"

"Oh, no, not yet."

"You met Giselle?"

"Yeah, she asked for my preferences on some things – carpeting, art work, things like that. Was that OK?"

"Yes, of course – how did you like her suggestions?"

"Everything she showed me was wonderful. I feel like she knows what a place needs to be beautiful and elegant and that's what a wonderful house like this deserves. She showed me watercolors she did of what it will all look like. She's a good artist and she has really clear vision. She was very nice to me, too, which I didn't expect."

"Why wouldn't you expect her to be nice to you, Sookie?"

"I don't know – I thought she might think I was a bimbo. Thanks Margaret!" Sookie smiled up at her as she sat a huge pile of strawberries with two little cakes and lots of whipped cream in front of her.

"I'd never tolerate anyone treating you that way, Sookie. I told her you were a very sweet girl, and you'd be a little shy about speaking your mind, but that the house should ultimately reflect your tastes."

"She said that, and she offered to change anything I didn't like, but I like it all. It's going to look like something from a wonderful magazine or those big books they have at the library that show pictures of fancy houses."

"Good. I want you to love it here."

"I already do. Are you sure it's not too soon for this? I hate for you to spend all this money when you've just met me."

"Do you trust me, Sookie?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," she replied very firmly.

"Then trust me to know what I want. I've had a thousand years to learn my own mind about things. When I see what I want, I don't hesitate because life can change in a heartbeat. I don't do anything I don't want to do."

"Did you really get all this done that fast?"

"Yes – you'd be surprised what you can do if you have enough money."

Sookie laughed a little and said, "that's not something I've ever had. We've always had to scrape by."

"You don't have to anymore, Sookie."

"Oh, I didn't mean…"

"I know you didn't, but I'm going to take every opportunity to make you understand that you have choices and opportunities with me that you didn't have before you met me. Your only limit is your imagination."

Sookie laughed out loud at that.

"You don't believe me?"

"I just never heard anybody say anything like that. I don't think you'd lie to me, of course, but it's such a weird idea."

"When we're apart this week, think about it. Really think about what your perfect life would be if you could start from scratch and live anywhere or do anything you wanted."

"Honestly, I don't want much. I want to be loved by somebody I can trust. I'm more concerned with taking care of Gran than anything material."

"She means a lot to you…"

"She made a lot of sacrifices to raise my brother and me. It's the least I can do to do what I can to make her life easier. That's why I work so many shifts at Merlotte's to help her out."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, on what I earn, I could afford to live on my own, but Gran wouldn't be able to keep up with the taxes and the utilities on the house, so I stay there and pay them so she has a little bit of money left for herself."

"Your brother should be the one to do that for both of you."

"Ha! Jason left the minute he turned 18. He lives in our parents' old house and he never gave her a penny that I know of. She's lucky if he gives her a birthday card. I told him you said something like that and he just shrugged it off."

"Very dishonorable." He was shaking his head as Margaret offered Sookie more strawberry shortcake.

"Oh, no, thank you. That was wonderful!"

"I'm glad you liked it, dear."

"OK, Eric, I'm ready to watch a movie."

"Alright, let's go see what we can find." He took her hand and led her into the den and over to the video cabinet by the bathroom door.

"Wow," Sookie said with surprise, "that's a lot of movies! Are there any of those you were talking about?"

"Let's see – here's one called** Emma**, about a young woman who thinks she's a matchmaker but isn't really very good at it; here's **Sense and Sensibility**, about two sisters and their different temperaments in matters of the heart; this one is very famous – **Pride and Prejudice**, one of the most famous love stories ever written. Then there's a lesser known work called **Persuasion**, about a spinster who encounters a man she wasn't allowed to marry when she was younger."

"They all sound sad."

"No, they have sad parts, but the endings are very satisfying."

"OK, pick one."

"**Sense and Sensibility** is a relatively new one, and the actress who plays the eldest sister won an Academy award for the screen play, so let's start with it."

"She looks familiar…"Sookie pointed to a very pretty actress on the DVD cover.

"Yes, she was in a very famous movie called Titanic."

"Oh, yeah – I saw that. It was good but it was way too sad."

"Yes, I agree."

"OK, let's watch that one."

Eric unwrapped the movie and put it in the DVD player as Sookie sat on the big, soft velvety couch.

"This is the biggest couch I ever saw. I love it."

"Yes, I thought, given my size, I needed something that big to hold two people."

"I think this would hold both of us and a friend or two…" Sookie said before she realized how it sounded.

Eric laughed as he closed the door on the DVD player and brought the remote to the couch with him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Northman?"

"Yes, Margaret?"

"The dishes are running now and I popped Miss Sookie a bowl of popcorn…"

"Oh, cool!" Sookie thought she smelled popcorn.

"… and I brought this quilt down from the upstairs closet. I thought you might want to snuggle up as you watch your show."

"Oh, good idea!" Sookie loved the idea of snuggling under a nice quilt with Eric.

"Thank you, Margaret," Eric said with a smile, "I can always count on you to think of everything."

"Oh, and here's a can of that soda you like, Dear," she said to Sookie. "There's plenty more in the fridge and if you leave before I'm up tomorrow, your Étouffée is in a white plastic bowl with a red lid."

"Thank you so much! That's so thoughtful of you."

"My pleasure. The rest of the staff has gone home. If you don't need me anymore…"

"Have a pleasant evening, Margaret," Eric said fondly.

"Good night, you two. Have fun."

Eric sat next to Sookie, hit the play button on the remote and pulled her close. "I hope I don't smell bad from being out in the sun…" she said apologetically.

He whispered in her ear. "You smell of spring air and sunshine, and your fragrance is even sweeter today. I don't think you could ever smell bad, Sookie, not with that scent." He pulled the clip out of her hair, which was still a bit damp, and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the perfume of the shampoo she had used as it mingled with her natural scent. Eric smiled to himself that if she only knew how much better she smelled than anyone he had ever known, she wouldn't be so apologetic.

"Are we allowed to talk during the movie?" Sookie asked hopefully as Eric pulled the beach towel from around her waist.

"Of course, Sookie. I'll tell you about it and you will have questions, plus you can tell me about your day."

"There isn't much to tell. Margaret made me an amazing lunch and I lay in the sun. She even came out to tell me when to turn over so I got sun on both sides."

"She is one of the best employees I have ever had. She's very competent and very loyal. She was with me for two years before I moved here."

"She cares a lot about you. She likes that we're together."

"Yes, I know. I can tell that she likes you, because she does extra things that I'd never demand or even think to ask her for you. She smiles at you when you aren't looking."

"I didn't know that, but I know she's really nice. She's a great cook, too."

"Oh, yes, she can always be counted on to impress my guests with her cooking. Of course, that's mostly cakes or pies and usually just an accountant or a lawyer."

"I hope I'm not creating extra work for her…"

"She's happy to have more to do. She always thought I paid her too much for too little, but I wanted her to be available when I needed her. When I told her you would be coming here she was beside herself. She said she'd do anything you needed her to do and she meant it."

"You have a knack for hiring good people, don't you?"

"I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I pay well enough that people make an extra effort to stay in my employ. They know they can make more money with me than with anyone else doing comparable work."

"Wow – most bosses pay as little as possible."

"Yes, and most employees do as little as possible because of it. You might want to think about that, you know."

"What?"

"I've told you that you have no need to work, but if you insist on doing so, you might want to consider working at Fangtasia."

"Huh?"

"You'd make more in one night at Fangtasia than you make in a week at Merlotte's."

"You want me to work at Fangtasia?"

"I don't want you to work at all, but if you insist on it, I'd like to see you get a fair wage for your efforts."

"Wow – I'd have to really think about that."

"There's no hurry, it's just something to keep in mind. I wanted you to know it was an option."

"I never would have thought of that. I wouldn't really fit in there, you know…"

"In order to draw in tourists, I need to keep the vampires coming in. Some of them are under contract to do so, but you being there would be an added incentive."

"Wouldn't I have to wear black and stuff?"

"No, not at all. I'd want you to dress just as you normally do - pretty little dresses, like you're going on a picnic," he teased her.

"Like vampire bait?"

"What?" he laughed, surprised.

"Bill said that night he took me to Fangtasia that I looked like vampire bait."

"Well, yes, then, exactly. You'd lure them in," he laughed as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Wouldn't that make them likely to attack me?"

"Not if they know you're mine – they wouldn't dare. They'd still want to be around you, though."

"Why?"

"You smell good. You're easy on the eyes. It's a fantasy – just like they fantasize about the dancers or bar tenders or me."

"Yeah, but sometimes they do get to hook up, right?"

"Not with me, not anymore, especially not if we are bonded."

"What does being bonded have to do with it?"

"If we are bonded, I belong to you and you belong to me, literally. No one can touch me without your permission."

"Like, not even a hug or a kiss on the cheek?"

"No, not even that, not without your permission."

"Would I be able to hug or kiss my Gran?"

"Yes, of course, I'd want you to do that. You could kiss or hug your brother…"

"That's not likely to be a problem…"

"…but you couldn't hug your boss, for example, or one of your brother's friends. That would not be permitted."

"Oh, OK. You'd be able to touch Pam, though, right?"

"With your permission, but since she is my Childe, I would think you would allow it."

"Yeah, of course I would. Oh, look – they're sword fighting!"

"With wooden swords, yes. I'll teach you to fight with a real sword if you'll let me."

"Is that something I should know?"

"It's a good idea if you are going to be around Supes of any kind. Should war break out, you would be better prepared to defend yourself."

"Is that likely? That I'd need to fight?"

"No, it's not, but it's always best to be prepared. More likely I'd be defending you, but things happen unexpectedly."

"It might be kind of a cool thing to know. Is it good exercise," she asked jokingly.

"Yes, actually, it's very good for firming the thighs," he teased back with a gentle squeeze of her upper leg.

"For real?"

"Yes, part of training is to do lunges."

"OK, so teach me sometime."

Eric smiled. That was much easier than he expected. He knew that she had no concept yet of how awful a Supe war could be, and that was fine. He'd feel better knowing she had a little experience with a sword, just in case, and she was still far enough removed from it to think of it as fun rather than survival. Hopefully, they would be bonded before the reality of it sunk in.

So far, their development was ideal for Eric's purposes. Please, Freyja, let her agree to bond before she realizes she has no choice. He wasn't letting her go now, not knowing whom she was. He hoped that this all meant that she wouldn't want to get away from him. If she was intended for him, hopefully that meant she'd have no desire to go, but these things were never certain. Speaking of which, he wondered if the Witch had gotten back to him.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and said, "email," when she gave him a questioning look. She smiled and snuggled back up to him, watching the Dashwood girls walk up to Barton Cottage. There was a message from wkkdwtch nola dot US – perfect!

"Sookie, would you be offended if I went into my office for a minute? I need to return a call."

"Sure, Sweetie. You want to stop the movie?"

"No, you keep watching and we'll talk more about it when I get back." He kissed her on the forehead and went into this office, calling the number Amelia Broadway had given him.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Broadway? This is Eric Northman."

"Oh, hi – I checked you out with Hadley and she says you're who you say you are, so what can I do for you?"

"I assume this is confidential – this cannot get back to Hadley or her friend…"

"No problem – it's between you, me and the Goddess."

"Very well. I have a rather unique situation I am in and I need some guidance. Have you ever encountered a direct incarnation of a Goddess?"

"Well, in some sense we all are, but in the sense that you mean, no, I don't think I have in person."

"Alright, this person – a young woman, of course – is someone I met recently and I recognized Her almost instantly as a former lover."

"Lover… as in you were literally Freyja's lover?"

"Yes, quite literally, hundreds of years ago, of course."

"Of course."

"I'm quite serious."

"Yes, I know that you are. So you recognized her…?"

"Yes, and we have become very close very quickly. What I want to know is, how much free will is involved in this situation? I believe she is intended for me, that she was specifically sent to me as the result of a promise Freyja made to me long ago. If she really is the fulfillment of the promise, can she still reject me?"

"Free will tends to override any kind of magick, but she'd have to be quite repulsed to turn her back on you if she's whom you think she is. I'd expect that kind of attachment to transcend almost any kind of trauma."

"Is there a way for you to confirm my suspicion?"

"Well, I've thrown a Tarot spread on it and the indication here is that you are correct – it is She, and I do see a promise being kept. Before I give you a definite 'yes' I'd prefer to meet the two of you and see you together. Would that be possible?"

"It could be arranged, I suppose. I wouldn't want her to know just yet…"

"No, of course not. It would be best in a social situation. Are you going to attend Sophie Ann's party on the dark moon a week from Friday?"

"I have been invited, and I could bring her as a guest, I suppose, though it's much sooner than I had hoped to take her into that world."

"I imagine you'd like to know right away."

"I would, indeed. Now that I think of it, a party might be best. We could pretend to be business acquaintances and you could chat with her. You need to be aware, though, that she is a telepath."

"Really?"

"Yes, she can read human minds very easily."

"I'm intrigued. Let's do that then. Rest assured, neither Sophie Ann nor Hadley will know what we are doing, or who she is to you."

"Except, of course, that she is mine."

"Oh, really? How long have you known her?"

"Less than a week. We became very attached almost instantly."

"That's a good sign. Has she ever formed an attachment so quickly before?"

"Never – I am her first… relationship." Eric was trying to be delicate out of respect for Sookie, but he needed to get the point across.

"Really? How old is she?"

"26."

"You're kidding?"

"No, I'm quite serious."

"But you are sure that she's Freyja? She's a very sexual aspect…"

"Quite. I can't explain it – it's as if it has lain dormant within her and was only released when we came together."

"And since then…"

"There is no doubt in my mind, but I require independent verification. I'm not in the habit of leaving things unexamined."

"That's why you've lived as long as you have."

"Exactly. I don't treat these things lightly. I understand the Force at work here and respect it. I just need to know the parameters of what I am dealing with and perhaps when and where it will be appropriate to let her know."

"She has no training in magick, I assume?"

"None as far as I know. I'd be shocked if she did."

"What kind of person is she?"

"Very bright, if a bit unschooled. She likes to read, she works in a bar and takes care of her grandmother. She uncommonly pretty and she has unusual qualities."

"Such as?"

"Her scent and her taste."

"They're unusual?"

"Yes, she tastes and smells much sweeter than a human should. She's quite intoxicating."

"OK, that's another indication that there's Divine intervention. If you have any specific intuitions or dreams, be sure to let me know."

"I did hear something, last night."

"Did she hear it, too?"

"I don't think so."

"What was it."

"A very happy woman's voice saying "she's home.""

"This was during…"

"Just… after."

"Alright. I'm going to do some more research in this before we meet at the party. I'll approach you – I hear you stand out."

"I'm rather tall."

"Huge is what I hear, and gorgeous with long blonde hair and blue eyes."

Eric smiled smugly to himself – that had to come directly from Sophie Ann. Good to know. "I'm sure some would find that description accurate."

"Alright. If you have any other questions, feel free to call or email. If I don't hear from you before then, I'll see you at Sophie Ann's soiree."

"Thank you for your help. Naturally, I'll pay for your time."

"I trust that you will. See you there."

Eric went back out to the den and wrapped his arms around Sookie, who was really getting into the movie now.

"Hi, Sweetie!" She kissed him.

"Hi. Are you enjoying the movie?"

"Yeah, I feel so bad for Colonel Brandon! He's obviously so in love with Marianne, and now she's only got eyes for Willoughby!"

"Yes, she's dazzled by his good looks."

"I know how that feels. It's still sad for Brandon."

"Keep watching."

"OK, why does that guy live with his mother-in-law when his wife is dead?"

"She'd probably have no income of her own, so it's his responsibility to care for her. He's a man of means, and he seems to enjoy her company."

"Yeah, I guess it would be better than living in a big old house alone with just servants." It flashed in Sookie's mind that that's how Eric had been living for some time, and it made her feel protective of him. He smiled to himself when he felt a wave of love and concern from her.

"I like the way they talk. Their accents are so pretty."

"Not as pretty as yours."

"You don't have to say that, Eric."

"I mean it. I love to listen to you speak. It's the second thing I noticed about you."

"What was the first?" She was being sassy now, to his sheer delight.

"Well, you were wearing that little dress…"

"And…."

"Well, while the overall package was nothing short of inspiring, I must admit that your breasts commanded my attention most."

"They're not too small?"

"They are perfect. You are perfect. There is nothing about you that I would change."

"Except my job and my clothes…"

"I love your clothes, but you can afford even nicer things now."

"You keep saying that."

"It's true, if you'll let it be."

"What would you do? Give me an allowance? I'd really feel like a kept woman then!"

"Alright, let's be logical for a minute. Except for the ceremony and the license, what is the difference in a wife and a kept woman?"

Sookie looked stunned, started to speak, then stopped for a minute, so he continued, "both have access to their man's money, both are supported by him, he gives them both sustenance as well as occasional presents…"

"Yeah, but a wife is someone who is loved and he's made a commitment to be with her forever. A mistress isn't necessarily loved – there's no commitment, it's just a financial arrangement."

"I defy you to find a mistress anywhere who thinks she has only a financial arrangement. At that point, she is a prostitute, not a girlfriend. Most girlfriends expect to become wives, even if the man is already married to another."

"OK, I can see that. I do know of women who get strung along with promises he'll leave his wife but they almost never do. I still think a wife is different though."

"How important is the difference?"

"Eric, are you kidding?! It's the MOST important thing!"

"Then marry me."

"Eric!"

"Too soon?" He gave her a Cheshire cat grin.

"Uh, yeah – I already feel like we're on a speeding train as it is," she laughed.

"Alright, as long as it is understood that eventually, I expect us to marry."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do. I've talked about bonding with you, Sookie – that is a far greater commitment than marriage."

"In your world, maybe, but in the world of my family and friends, the marriage is the thing. Even if they knew what a blood bond was, they wouldn't understand it. I barely understand it."

"Does it not appeal to you?"

"Honestly, it sounds amazing! It sounds the way love is supposed to be – you become one with each other, you can feel what the other feels – that must be so gratifying."

"Yes, it is. It is a closeness no words can describe."

Sookie fell quiet for a few minutes and settled her head on his chest. He knew from the swirl of emotions within her that she was considering it. He was sure she would consent very soon, and it couldn't be soon enough to suit him. He poured as much affection and comfort as he could muster into the bond.

"You know, a week ago today, I had no idea you existed. Now I can't imagine living without you," she said softly.

"I told you, Sookie – life can change in a heartbeat. This time last week, I had no idea there would be a beautiful woman watching a movie with me in my den. When the Goddess gives you blessings, you grab them and make the most of them."

"What were you doing this time last week?"

"Lying in my bed reading a book and listening to my iPod."

"What's an iPod?"

"It's a new kind of music player. You load all your music onto it and you can carry it in your pocket."

"What kind of music do you like?"

"Many kinds, but I often play traditional Swedish music to remind me of home."

"No Tuvan throat singing?" Sookie asked wryly.

Eric knew he couldn't let her know he knew what that was about. "Why on earth would I listen to those awful noises?"

"Yeah, that's what I'd like to know. They're horrible!"

"Where did you hear such a thing?"

"Bill Compton was playing it in his car the night he brought me to Fangtasia."

"When I have a woman in my car, she picks the music."

"You're smart. Believe me, no girl wants to be trapped in the car with that, especially if it's already a bad night."

"I rather enjoyed that night."

"Yeah, I did, too, once you got there. Between the raid and the ride home, though, I wasn't a happy camper. All I could think about was wanting to go back and talk to you."

"You nearly got your wish."

"I got better than my wish. I never dreamed you'd hover outside my window and talk to me that way. I felt like I was dreaming." Sookie said with wonder in her voice and Eric laughed softly. "No kidding, I still do!"

"I know. I feel that way, too. I keep hoping I won't awake and lose it all."

"Exactly. Wait – that's Willoughby at that ball in London? Why did she yell out that way?"

"She's overly demonstrative with her feelings, which is considered very improper. See how everyone is shocked by her behavior?"

"The creep won't even shake her hand! And now he's ignoring her and the new girl is making fun of her clothes!? Nobody better EVER treat me that way!"

"No one ever will, my lover."

"Wow – I guess it was good her big sister was there to drag her out. I'd have pulled that chick's hair out, though."

Eric laughed at the thought of Sookie fighting – over him, of course – and it was thrilling. He could tell she'd be quite the little hellcat if she were provoked. Another thing that reminded him of Freyja. "Oh, you would, would you?"

"Yeah – just wait. If I ever see one of those bimbos at Fangtasia with her paws on you, you'll find out."

"So I trust I'll never have to see you hug your boss, or anything of the kind."

"Nope – it works both ways. Until it doesn't, of course."

"What does that mean?"

"It means if you ever cheat on me, all bets are off."

"That will never happen. If we were bonded, it would be impossible."

"Literally impossible?"

"Yes." OK, he was stretching the truth a bit, but he had an agenda here and it couldn't come together quickly enough to suit him. He told himself it was for her own good and almost believed it. "I have an idea. Keep watching and I'll be right back." He was up like a shot and into the kitchen while Sookie became engrossed in Marianne and Elinor fighting because she wouldn't explain the deal with Willoughby.

"What did I miss?" Eric said as he came back.

"The older sister just asked Brandon to take them home because Marianne is all broken up over that snake in the grass, Willoughby."

Sookie barely noticed that Eric was kicking off his boots and taking off his shirt behind her. He spread the blanket on the floor in front of the couch and sat with his back against it.

"What are you doing?" She asked while he arranged the quilt.

"Come sit here, between my legs." He patted the floor in front of him.

Sookie's eyes lit up and she gave him a flirty smile… she had a feeling this was going to be good. "OK," she said, feigning suspicion as she settled in front of him.

He untied the back of her bathing suit as he told her, "you keep watching the movie, dear one, and I'm going to make you feel really, really good."

"Mmm – I like the sound of that," she said as the two of them got settled so that Eric could rub her back. He opened a bottle that she could only see in her peripheral vision. "What's that?"

"Peanut oil."

"Peanut oil?"

"Yes, it's very good for the skin. I have better massage oils upstairs, but this was handy so we'll use it this time."

"This time? Is massage going to be a regular thing?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course – unless you don't like it. I didn't think to ask…"

"Are you kidding – I love it!"

"Good. It's one of my many talents."

"There seems to be no limit to your talents," Sookie laughed. "Oh, no – Edward didn't expect that obnoxious Lucy to be there with Elinor!"

"Yes, Lucy is quite the fly in the ointment."

"He's so awkward! And Marianne is going off on her again. She needs to calm down."

"Elinor agrees with you," Eric laughed as he spread a generous amount of oil on her back. He could tell Sookie was already enjoying this. It occurred to him that she had probably never had a professional massage. "Sookie, have you ever had a massage before?"

"Not really. Just short ones from other girls at a slumber party."

"Mmm – that's a pretty picture," he teased. "Seriously, have you ever been to a spa or had professional body work?"

"No, of course not."

"Why "of course not?""

"Regular people don't do things like that, Eric. That's for people with plenty of money and too much time on their hands."

"So you wouldn't want to go to a spa with me and have massage and exfoliating treatments and facials…"

"Sure, I would. I'm not against it, I just can't afford it."

"Hmm – I think I feel a short vacation coming up. There's a vampire hotel in Phoenix that has a wonderful day spa for human guests. You'd spend the day being pampered, then we'd have a wonderful little villa all to ourselves at night."

"That sounds nice, but expensive."

"Wouldn't cost you a penny, my dear, only your time and attendance."

"Oh," she stretched forward, lengthening her back as he stroked the length of it firmly, "you make everything so tempting," she laughed.

"You just wait, Sookie Stackhouse, sooner or later, I'm going to spoil you rotten and you'll not only let me, you'll enjoy it," he said with absolute certainty.

Sookie giggled. Even if he was full of crap, and she didn't think he was, it was sheer joy to hear someone say these things to her. Just the words were so comforting and she could feel the sincerity in his words. He really did want to take care of her. He was pressing his thumbs in on both sides of her spine and running them upward to her neck and she pictured herself as a piece of dough being rolled out. It felt so good. There was tension melting away from her that she never noticed was there before.

"Oh, no, she's not going to tell that mean lady about her and Edward, is she?" Sookie cracked up as Fannie grabbed Lucy by the nose and threw her out of her house.

Eric laughed just because Sookie's laugh was so cute.

"Wow – I'm glad Elinor finally stood up to Marianne. Like she thinks no one else feels anything!"

Eric had rubbed all the knots out of Sookie's back, so he pulled her back against his chest and held her close as he massaged her hand very deeply. She laid her head back on his shoulder, relaxing and watching the movie as she enjoyed the attention he was paying to her hand. She was amazed at how nimble his long fingers were, and how good it felt just to have her hand rubbed,

"OK, this scene is a bit much, with her standing there in the rain spouting poetry."

"True, but that's the whole point with Marianne. She's over the top. Remember at the beginning she told her mother nothing could be more glorious than dying for love?"

"Yeah, she did say that, didn't she? She's not going to die, is she?"

"Wait and see," he teased her as he kissed that hand, then began to massage the other one.

"Tease!" she giggled.

"You have the softest hands I've ever felt, Sookie."

"Thanks," she giggled shyly.

"This oil will make you feel even softer when it's washed off."

"Oh, yeah, we've still got a bath coming up, haven't we?" she said more seductively than she meant to, and Eric noticed as she blushed. Eric began kissing her neck softly, moving down to her shoulder.

"Relax, Sookie, we're in no hurry. We're going to finish the movie, and we'll eventually make it upstairs. Everything slow and gentle tonight, alright?"

"Uh-huh" she whispered as his hands gently explored her. The only effort she made was to shift a little to let him remove the bottom of her bathing suit. He gently stretched her out on her side, facing the television, and kissed his way down her back. Moving faster than she could see, he removed his jeans and snuggled up against her. While Elinor was crying and begging Marianne to try to live, Sookie was crying out softly for a different reason, as Eric took her gently from behind as he whispered in her ear and stroked her breasts. She had a deep, hard release as Brandon read poetry to Marianne and they were softly whispering to each other as Marianne learned the new song Brandon sent her with a small piano forte.

"Alright, dear one, watch the end here, then we go to the tub."

Margaret Dashwood was jumping up and down saying that the rider approaching the cottage was Edward and the girls rushed to go inside so they could receive him properly. When Edward told Elinor he wasn't married and she lost control of herself, Sookie nearly cheered. "AW! That's so sweet!"

Eric smiled, thinking how sweet the girl in his arms was, and they chatted a little about the wedding scene.

"Eat your heart out, Willoughby!" she laughed as he watched the wedding from afar on his white horse. "Why is he throwing coins?"

"That's what the English used to do at weddings."

"What about rice?"

"That began in America after the World Wars. GI's picked up the custom in Japan and brought it to this country."

"I didn't know that. If we got married, what would they throw?"

He knew better than to tell her that rice was a symbol of fertility because he didn't want her to think about the fact that to be with him, she had to give up having children. "Flowers? Rose petals? Tens and twenties?" He laughed

"I'm just kidding. I don't need that whole white wedding scene. As long as Gran and Jason were there, I'd be happy."

"You will have the wedding of your dreams, dear one, whatever that dream may be."

She rolled back and looked him right in the eye and he said, "I promise." Without another word he turned off the TV and the lights and swept her up into his arms and up into the bedroom, sitting her on the bed as he ran a bath and lit the room with candles. Sookie watched him and smiled, knowing that the night had just begun.


	7. Chapter 7

'**Til Death Do Us Part**

Eric lowered Sookie gently into the warm water and quietly slipped in behind her. He pulled her back so her back was against his chest, she situated between his long legs.

"Close your eyes, lover, and relax into me," he whispered in her ear. Sookie felt like she'd pour right down the drain if he let the water out right now. She just hoped she didn't fall asleep, he was being so quiet and gentle with her. He slipped his fingers into her hair and gently massaged her scalp for a good long while, then he pulled her to him, his hands over her breasts, kissing her neck and shoulder softly over and over, then kissing down her back a bit as she leaned forward.

When he worked his way back up to her shoulder, she leaned back into him again and he began to massage her breasts in earnest, paying particular attention to her nipples. These sensations were new to Sookie, having only rarely touched them herself and she was amazed at how a pang of wanting shot through her body straight down to her center when he pulled on them firmly. She closed her eyes, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden, especially because she couldn't be quiet. She felt a compulsion to pull his hands away but that was the last thing she wanted to do so she wrapped her hands around his thighs as they embraced her.

Eric reveled in the jumble of emotions she was projecting to him – love, confusion, lust, bashfulness, even smidgens of fear and shame as she found she couldn't stop the flexing of her lower cheeks. Eric was fascinated in the way she bit her lower lip and rolled her head back and forth on his chest, so rather than moving on to other things as he might normally, he continued to tug them firmly, and gradually to pinch them roughly as he did. Sookie began to whimper but she didn't want him to stop. She could think of nothing but the unfamiliar and fascinating interaction between her nipples and her clit.

At this point, Eric wanted to see how far he could push her, so he continued, both surprised that as the pinches and pulls began to provoke cries of ecstasy and pain, Sookie began to come, thrusting her pelvis upward, digging her fingers into Eric's thighs. Suddenly Eric slipped his hands under her bottom and impaled her on his cock before she even knew he had moved. He immediately returned to tormenting one of her nipples, his arm stretched across her, forcing her back, pinching the right one with his left hand as his right hand found her clit and rubbed it mercilessly. Sookie was frantic, holding the sides of the tub as best she could, grinding down on Eric and making sounds somewhere between a howl and a sob.

"Don't stop – please, Eric, don't stop!"

Eric was glad Sookie couldn't see the evil smile on his face. This was a delicious development. Sookie had a delightful and unexpected masochistic streak. Sookie began crying out rhythmically, and as he felt her reach a crescendo, he bit her shoulder, causing her to shriek and sob. On an impulse, Eric tore his wrist savagely and pressed it to her lips, and Sookie drew as hard as she could on it. When the wound had closed, Sookie shuddered and collapsed into him, and he let her breathe for the first time since this bout had begun.

Sookie was limp as Eric sprayed her hair with the hand held shower, and made only an occasional moan as he washed her hair. He guided her to lean against the side of the tub so he could wash his own hair, then he took the soap and gently washed her all over.

"Sookie, are you alright?" He pulled her back to him and looked to the side to see her expression.

"Yeah. What was that?"

"That was pleasure, my lover," he whispered as he nuzzled her ear.

"I never… I didn't…"

"Sookie are you upset?"

"No, I'm… I don't know what I am. Confused, I guess?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"NO, not at all, that was so wild and intense. I don't even know a word for it."

Eric let the water out of the tub, and rinsed them both off with the handheld. He was very pleased with himself, but he tried not to betray his feelings to Sookie.

"Smug," Sookie said softly as Eric rubbed a nice lotion Margaret had left for them into her skin.

He got out and got a huge towel, wrapping it around her and lifting her out of the empty tub.

"Eric?" She was still stunned as he dried her off and combed out her hair.

"Yes, lover?" He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"You are feeling smug – I can feel it! You got exactly what you wanted."

"Yes, I did." He kissed her deeply, then went to put out the candles in the bathroom. He came back quickly and slipped into the bed on his side.

"It's true, then – we're bonded, and I can feel what you feel." She moved into his arms,

"Yes, we are, and you can." He spoke quietly as he smoothed her hair back.

"Hold me tight," she clung to him and he wrapped his arms more tightly around her. After a long while, she said, "we're forever now."

"Yes, we are."

He could feel that her emotions were churned up, but the overarching feelings were positive, so he let her have time to process the events of the evening as he held her and stroked her back and shoulders. He reached up occasionally and fluffed up her hair, stroking her cheek and kissing her, then letting her bury her face in his neck again.

"It's so weird – I can feel your concern for me, your happiness, your fear that I'll regret it or be afraid of you. I can feel your love and amusement and something I don't even know the name for. Your feelings are so huge and wide and deep! And they're in me – they're a part of me. Do you feel my feelings this intensely?"

"Yes, my lover, they are often overwhelming. I am used to dealing with such intensity, but it may take you some time to adjust to the rush of feelings. That's not unusual."

"You're pouring all kinds of love and comfort and calm into the bond, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

She laid her hand against his cheek. "Don't be afraid, Eric – I'm not going to suddenly regret our bond. I just need some time to know how to process it all. It's so much more than I ever imagined," she said with wonder.

"Is it unpleasant?"

"No, just the opposite. I never felt so… whole. I feel like I want tell the whole world!" She started to laugh, but Eric was still watching her closely because he was afraid she was on the verge of hysteria. It was not uncommon for newly bonded humans to have a temporary breakdown of sorts.

Suddenly Sookie was kissing him hard, over and over and she moved toward the center of the bed. He moved as he needed to let her go where she wanted, and once she was in the middle of the bed on her back, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him downward as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Fuck me, really hard, and make it last for hours. Don't stop until you have to go to rest."

She didn't have to ask twice. Sookie made the most of the fact that they were alone in the house. She screamed, she snarled, she bit, she scratched, she swore, she begged, she moaned, she cried, she laughed hysterically. She proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was not entirely human because Eric had never seen a woman who could take what he was dishing out. A Goddess, yes, a vampiress or maybe a fairy, but not a human girl, and he was certain that he wasn't injuring her.

About twenty after five, he could tell she was fading.

"No, don't slow down!" She took his face in both hands and looked right in his eyes.

"Sookie, my lover, you are exhausted. We will have sex again tonight and tomorrow and every night thereafter. Besides, there is something I want to give you before I go to rest."

"But you've given me _everything!"_

He smiled at her sweetly. "No, Sookie, we've only begun. This is just the very beginning of our time together. Now, relax, catch your breath, and close your eyes."

Her breath was ragged, but she did lie back and close her eyes. Eric reached for his nightstand and opened the bottom drawer. He took out a blue velvet box and opened it, holding it so Sookie could see it.

"Open your eyes, Sweetheart."

"Eric, what did you do?"

"It's just a little something to mark the occasion of our bonding. I knew you and your grandmother would think it is too soon for a diamond ring, but I thought a necklace and matching earrings would be acceptable."

"Wow – they're beautiful. Are they rubies?"

"Yes, very good quality real ones with diamond accents and I got the teardrop shape to represent our blood bond. I'd like you to wear at least the necklace until we can get something more permanent."

"Of course I'll wear them! You don't need to get me anything else, though."

"But I will. I'll want you to wear a ring of engagement, but as I said, I know you and your grandmother would consider it too soon. I'd like to take you to a party at the Queen's estate in New Orleans a week from Friday and we need some visible sign of our bond."

"So it has to be a piece of jewelry?"

"Ideally, there would be jewelry and a visible bite."

"Well, the bite is no problem, right?"

"Right."

"So the necklace will be enough?"

"It's better than nothing. A ring would be much preferable if you'd wear one."

"OK, you know I don't really want you to spend money on me, but hypothetically, if you got me a ring before the party, would it be alright if I wore it there, but didn't wear it at home or work for a while?"

"Of course – as long as you wear the necklace when you aren't wearing the ring."

"That's no big deal. I'd definitely be able to do that."

"So, are you giving me permission to buy you a ring?"

"Well, you said it's inevitable, right? We're forever, and you expect us to get married, so…"

"Exactly. It's going to happen sooner or later, but sooner solves an immediate problem."

"Alright."

"What shape do you want?"

"What kind of ring is it going to be?"

"You don't get to ask that – it's my choice. I just need to know your favorite shape for gems."

"You know what an emerald cut is?"

"Of course."

"OK, that's my favorite. I always dreamed I'd have a really nice emerald cut ring of some kind some day."

"And so you shall." He kissed her very sweetly. Sookie didn't see the harm in wearing a little ring to show what they meant to each other. As much as it was a sign to Eric's associates that she belonged to him, it would be a sign to her family and coworkers that he really was committed to her. She'd just keep it quiet for a while and spring it on them when the time was right.

"I'm going to miss you so much today!" Sookie hated the thought of leaving him.

"That will make it even sweeter when we see each other tonight."

"I won't get home until almost 2:30 in the morning."

"I'll fly to your house after we close Fangtasia and that will give us a few hours before dawn."

"Part of me wants to tell you not to go to so much trouble but a bigger part of me knows I'll really want to see you," she laughed.

"Seeing my bonded is no trouble. It's best if we spend at least a little time together every day while our bond is so new. I'll come see you every night unless you have a night off – then you will come to me at Fangtasia, yes?"

"Yes! Wild horses couldn't keep me away – ay ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-OH! Wow, big yawn," she laughed.

"You need to sleep now, lover."

"But…"

"Shhh – no "but's" – I will lie here with you until you sleep, then I'll go underground when the sun comes up."

She started to protest, but he shook his head and opened his arms so she rolled into them and snuggled up. She was in a deep sleep in no time, but he stayed until just before dawn, then wrote her a note before he went downstairs.

Sookie woke up at 11:53 according to Eric's clock. She stopped and concentrated for a minute and she realized she could feel him elsewhere in the house. She was pretty sure that if she tried she could find his hiding place, but she wouldn't do that. She'd wait until he showed her himself. She ran through everything she needed to do today and the absolute first thing she was going to do is write in her journal. She got up to get it out of her bag and noticed that there was another note from Eric on the dresser, so she grabbed it and brought them both back to bed with her.

She opened the note from Eric first:

_My Dearest Sookie – _

_Words hardly seem adequate to express my joy at the beginning of our long life together. I have never loved anyone or anything as much as I love you now, and forever. _

_Your bonded,_

_Eric_

Damn – that made Sookie weak in the knees. She kissed his signature on the paper, then folded it carefully and put it back in the envelope. She put it with the first one that was in her journal and decided she needed a special box to keep these in, since she had a feeling she'd be getting a lot of these. She was determined to keep them all forever. She started writing in her journal, trying to cram every detail of the last two days into a couple of pages, and was lost in her thoughts when Margaret tapped on the door.

"Oh, hey, Margaret!"

"Good morning, Miss. Would you like some breakfast or lunch?"

"Uh, would it be too much trouble to get some lunch?"

"Not at all. Would you prefer a roast beef sandwich or tuna salad?"

"Roast beef, please?"

"Coming right up. I'll be back with it shortly."

"Actually, I'll come eat in the kitchen when I'm done, if that's OK?"

"Very good, Miss. Take your time and come down whenever you're ready. Remember when you pack up your things that if there's anything you'd like to take home, feel free. I can always replace it for you before next week."

"Oh, cool, thanks!" Sookie wrote another couple of pages, then pulled all her stuff together. She decided she could shower after she got home, and she looked in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. She really did like that Chanel compact and the darker of the two pink lipsticks, and she needed a new mascara anyway, so she put them in her makeup bag to take with her. She had no idea that those three items cost more than she had spent on makeup in her entire life.

She managed to get all her stuff down the stairs and as she passed Eric's downstairs office, she had an idea so she set her stuff in the hallway and went in. She looked at his wall of books and once she realized they were mostly in alphabetical order by author's name, she found 6 small, leather bound editions of Jane Austen stories. She remembered Eric saying **Pride and Prejudice** was a great love story, so she put it in her bag and reminded herself to tell Eric that she borrowed it.

Margaret had another spectacular sandwich waiting for her when she made it into the kitchen.

"Margaret, do you think Eric would mind if I borrowed this book?" She asked as she set her bags in the chair at the end of the table.

"Not at all, Miss. I'm sure he'd be thrilled that you were exploring his library."

"OK, good. I wanted to check out this writer he told me about and I don't know when I'll have a chance to get to the library this week."

"What author was that, Miss?"

"Jane Austen."

"Oh, you'll like those very much. You might say she was the original "chick lit" writer. She was years ahead of her time."

"Cool. I really liked the movie we watched the other night, so I thought I'd try a different story and maybe we can watch that movie next weekend."

"That sounds like a very good plan. Have you had a good time here, Miss?"

"It's been like a dream! Everything at home is going to seem so … I don't know, it just won't be the same being away from Eric."

"He's going to miss you terribly, I'm sure. It's good that you've already made plans to come back."

"Yeah, I'm going to be counting the minutes until I get back here," Sookie laughed, "that's so unlike me!"

"Is it?"

"Yeah, I never really had a boyfriend before, and I never really understood how people would complain about being away from each other for a few hours and stuff, but now, I definitely get it! I miss him already!"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll miss you, too."

"I never thought I'd meet anybody that thought enough of me to do half of what he's already done for me. I don't know if I deserve it, but I'm sure glad he thinks I do."

"Well, you know, for the short amount of time I've seen him since you've been here, he smiled more than in the three years I've known him before. I've never seen him so happy."

Sookie blushed at that. "Thanks. I want to make him happy."

"You already have, dear."

"Oh, I almost forgot – I'm supposed to call Gran and see if she needs me to stop at the grocery store!"

"I'll bring you the phone and a piece of paper and you can do that now," Margaret went bustling back into what Sookie thought was the pantry and came back with a cordless phone and a pad of paper and pen.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Gran, I'm getting ready to leave Eric's house. Did you figure out what you need from the store?"

"Yes, I did – we need hamburger, Miracle Whip, buns, a loaf of bread, a carton of milk and a can of baking powder."

"OK, is that all?"

"Yes, unless there's something special you want for supper."

"Actually, I'm bringing home some awesome shrimp Étouffée that Margaret made for us."

"Margaret?"

"Yes, Eric's maid. She's an amazing cook and she made extra so I can bring some home for both of us."

"That's so thoughtful. You be sure and tell her thank you, darlin', and you be careful driving home."

"I will, Gran. I'll see you soon."

"Would you mind if I look at your shopping list while you finish your sandwich, Miss?"

"Oh, no, I guess not…" Sookie handed the list to her and she disappeared back into the pantry. Sookie finished her sandwich and started getting her stuff ready when Margaret came back with two bags of groceries and set them on the table. She went to the refrigerator then and pulled out the huge container of rice and Étouffée and added it to the bags.

"There now, Miss, no need to stop. You've got everything on your list here plus a couple of other things I thought you might need."

"Oh, but – I can't take groceries! I don't mind stopping at the store."

"Nonsense, dear. Mr. Northman would want you to take from here rather than spending your own money. You just take it home and enjoy that extra time with your Grandma, OK?"

"But…"

"Ready for me, Miss Margaret?" a young African-American man in work clothes came to the back door. "yes, Lonnie, these things right here go in Miss Stackhouse's trunk."

"Right away, ma'am," the young man nodded to Sookie and smiled, taking the keys she had laying on the table next to her. He carried her bags out to her car before Sookie could protest any further.

"Margaret, I don't want to take advantage of Eric's generosity…"

"It gives him pleasure to do little things like this for you, Miss. Let him have his fun – it's the first time I've seen him laugh."

Sookie completely believed that so she didn't press any further. "OK, well, I guess I should hit the road. Thank you so much for everything, Margaret!"

"My pleasure, Miss. We'll be looking forward to seeing you next Sunday."

Lonnie came back in with her keys and said, "you're all set, Miss!"

"Thank you so much!" Sookie took her keys and headed for the door before Margaret could come up with something else for her to take home. As she was pulling out of the garage, Margaret stepped outside and waved to her, and for some reason it made Sookie want to cry. It dawned on her that she was going to miss Eric's whole world as well as Eric himself.

There was almost no traffic on the way back to Bon Temps because she'd missed the lunch rush and the evening rush was still a couple of hours away. Gran was sitting on the front porch rocking and breaking up white half-runner beans when Sookie got home, and Sookie went bouncing up the steps to give her a kiss on the cheek before she messed with anything in the car.

"I hope you weren't breaking the speed limit, honey! I thought it would take you much longer at the grocery store."

"Well, I didn't exactly go to the store…"

"Well, that's alright if you didn't want to."

"I've got everything on your list and maybe a few other things, but I got them from Eric's maid. She insisted."

"Sookie, you didn't!"

"I didn't want to, Gran, but she's hard to say "no" to. She had one of the other workers put it in my car before I could talk her out of it."

"Well, I suppose you're here now. We'll find some way to pay Mr. Northman back, so for now, just bring it all in and get it put away. Do you want me to fix you something to eat before you get ready for work?"

"Actually, I thought we'd just heat up the shrimp and rice, unless you don't want that?"

"Well, I've never been one to turn down good low country cookin' so we'll give it a try."

Sookie carried the groceries into the kitchen first so Gran could see what was there, then she made a second trip to get her stuff and take it up to her room. She needed to leave for work in 2 ½ hours, so that was just time to eat, unpack and shower.

Gran had mixed feelings when she discovered that in addition to the items on her list, there were two rib eye steaks, a large baking chicken and some bags of frozen vegetables in the bags. She was sure this was intended as a kind gesture, but she didn't want Eric treating them like a charity case. She decided this once to let it go because he probably just saw it as a small way he could take care of Sookie, and she did believe he was sincere in his offer to do so.

"Wow, Gran, was all of this in there?"

"Yes, it was. You didn't ask for this?"

"No, I just wrote what you said on a list and went to finish my sandwich, then Margaret asked if she could see the list. Then she went back in the pantry and said I wouldn't need to stop at the store. I tried to refuse, but she wouldn't hear of it – the guy came in and asked if she was ready for him and she told him to put the stuff in my trunk."

"Did the maid think you're very poor?"

"I don't know. I don't think so, but compared to Eric, we might seem not so well off. She was really nice to me and she goes out of her way for me without me asking. Eric said she was excited that I was coming there because she always thought he paid her too much for too little."

"He must be a very nice boss to have a maid so eager to take care of his girlfriend."

"Yeah, she kind of mothers me and him. I noticed him telling her that he could always count on her to think of everything and he told me that she's one of the most competent and loyal employees he ever had."

"Well, maybe she considered this a part of her job?"

"It's possible. He said they're there for my convenience and the more they know about me, the easier it is for them to do a good job."

"Well, we'll just consider it a gift this time, and we'll find a way to repay him somehow."

"He won't let us, Gran, I'm sure of that. It's everything I can do to keep him from giving me an allowance."

"An allowance? I never heard of such a thing."

"It might be a vampire thing. He said in his world, people would expect him to improve my station in life, whatever that means."

"Huh. That's a very old fashioned idea, even to someone my age, unless he's thinking of you as a mistress…"

"I asked him about that, but it's more like he's thinking of me as a future wife."

"Oh, my! Did he say that?"

"Yes, he said that he expects us to marry eventually." Sookie was hoping it wasn't too soon to tell Gran about that, but she wouldn't feel right keeping it from her.

"I hope you won't rush into anything, Sookie!"

"No, he knows we'd think it was too soon. He's willing to wait, he just wanted me to know that he wasn't treating me like a kept woman. We talked about it a lot, because he didn't understand what I meant about being a kept woman and how it was different from a wife, and he said straight out that he expects us to marry eventually."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, really. I kind of expect it, too."

"Well, I'd tell you to take it slowly, but you're probably past that point, so just think carefully and wait a while before you get engaged. You need to know him better before you make that kind of commitment."

"Yeah, you're right. It's weird though – I feel like I've known him for years."

"Take it slow anyway, honey, just in case, alright?"

"OK. Let's heat up this Étouffée!"

Gran opened the plastic container and was shocked. "Oh, my! Look at the size of those shrimp!"

"I know, right? They're huge! I don't know where Margaret shops but she has the best of everything. She fed me a steak the other night that was so tender I could cut it with a fork!"

"What did she give you for lunch today?" Gran spooned the concoction into two bowls and put them in the microwave as Sookie took her usual seat at the table.

"A big roast beef sub. It was awesome. I'll bet it had a pound or more of meat in it."

"I hope they're just being a bit extravagant because it was your first time there."

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Eric seems to do everything up big. Like he had a cabinet full of a couple of hundred DVDs but they'd never been opened. He said he told whoever bought them to buy things a young woman might like. They're all still in the wrapper."

"He bought movies he didn't watch?"

"Yeah – I mean, he plans to. We watched one last night."

"What kind of movie was it?"

"It was called Sense and Sensibility. It's a Jane Austen story. I borrowed one of her books from his library. He said a lot of young women like her stuff."

"I think I've read a couple of her books a long time ago – did she write **Pride and Prejudice**?"

"Yeah – that's the book I borrowed!"

"That's a very sweet love story. At least he's not giving you anything racy!"

"He said he likes stories with happy endings and not a lot of violence or fighting. Like he wants his home to be restful. He says the home is for the woman. A man can live in next to nothing, but you don't take a woman into that. You give her a home where she can be the woman you know she can be."

"That's a lovely sentiment." Gran put a couple of spoons and napkins on the table.

"He says when you're as old as he is, you think about everything a lot, so he knows what is really important and what he wants. He says life can change in a heartbeat, so when you see something you want, you go for it and make the most of it while you can."

"That makes a lot of sense on his part, but remember, Sookie, you are much, much younger. It might take you more time to know what you want."

"I know what I want, Gran! I want Eric! Oh, and guess what?!"

"What?" Gran was trying to remember that this was all new to Sookie so it was natural for her to be excited.

"He has a swimming pool in his back yard! He never used it before, but he's going to get it opened this week so I can use it."

"He had a pool he didn't use?"

"Yeah – weird, huh? But he said the idea of a moonlight swim with me sounded very pleasant."

"That does sound very nice. I'm sure you'll enjoy that!" Gran put the bowls on the table and sat down, and the rest of their conversation centered on how good the food was and how long it had been since they'd had Étouffée.

When Sookie finished up she went up to shower and get ready for work as Gran puttered around the kitchen, lost in her thoughts. Gran had a feeling Sookie wasn't going to be living in Bon Temps much longer. At this rate, unless something drastic happened, she expected Sookie to want to spend more and more time at Eric's house. That was a perfectly normal progression for a girl Sookie's age to want to live with a man she loved, so Adele decided she'd better start thinking in terms of living on her own. She wouldn't say that to Sookie, of course, but she knew it was just a matter of time. That was a little scary, but she'd never dream of holding Sookie back or standing in the way of her happiness. Sookie had had a lot of sadness and loneliness in her life, and more than anything, Gran wanted her to be happy.

Sookie flew down the steps in her uniform and kissed Gran on the cheek about ten minutes later than she should have to get to Merlotte's on time. She was driving way too fast when she heard a clunk under her hood. The car continued to run, though, and got her to work just as the clock struck 6:30.

"Hey, Sam!" Sookie bounced into his office to put her purse away and Sam smiled at her, knowing she had been hauling ass to get there on time. He didn't give Sookie a bad time about getting there late if he didn't have to, but with one new girl being trained and Arlene on the warpath since René disappeared, he'd have had to make an issue of it tonight.

Sam was dying to ask Sookie what she did on her days off, but he didn't want to seem nosy. He figured his best bet would be to put a bug in Arlene's ear and let her do the dirty work. Normally, he'd protect her from that kind of intrusion, but he wanted to know if she had been spending time with Eric Northman. Sookie being hooked up with a killer like that was Sam's worst nightmare. Vampire Bill had been scary enough, but Sam only had suspicions about him. Eric Northman was known for being swift with his many swords and cruel when it counted. The thought of Sookie being at his mercy sent chills through Sam, especially considering the stories about what went on in the basement at Fangtasia. He hoped that Sookie would be well away from him before she ever saw that part of Eric's world. He prayed that by the time she wanted to get away from him she still could.

As it turned out, it was a slow night and Arlene was in high dudgeon, so Sam didn't even need to plant that little bug. Arlene was all over Sookie because she didn't know enough about Kim to have ammunition for picking on her.

"So, Sookie, did you go to that vamp bar in Shreveport again?"

"They were closed just like we were, Arlene."

"Oh, really? Did you get to see anymore of your big, blonde vampire boyfriend?"

"Not that it's any of your business, Arlene, but yes, I went to Eric's house while I was off."

"You went to that big vampire's house? By yourself?"

"Yep, and I had a great time."

"Did you spend the night?"

"Two, actually."

"What'd you do in the day time?"

'OK, fine' Sookie thought, 'if you want all the details I'm going to serve 'em up so you choke on them!' "Actually, Arlene, between eating the delicious food his maid fixed for me, talking to the decorator and hanging out by his pool, the day was pretty busy. It was almost a relief when all the servants went home and left Eric and me alone. Not that I'm complaining – it was cool to have people that do all the shopping and cooking and cleaning and gardening, but I liked it best when it was just me and Eric watching that huge TV in his den."

"Servants?"

"Yeah, he has several – there's a maid that's in charge of the others, then she has two helpers, plus there's an upstairs maid, and I don't know how many gardeners."

Kim, not knowing any better, chimed in, "wow, Sookie, that must be really nice! What kind of house does he have?"

"I think he has 4 houses, but this house is the main one. It's a 4 story Victorian with an attached 2-car garage. There are some other buildings out back, but I don't know what they all are yet."

"Is he rich or something?" Kim unwittingly continued to help Sookie make Arlene turn green.

"Yeah, actually, he's quite wealthy. He owns a lot of businesses – he says Fangtasia was more of a social outlet for him."

"What kind of car does he drive?" Go, Kim! Arlene had steam coming out of her ears at this point.

"A red corvette convertible."

Sam, who was washing glasses, turned pale, knowing that the part about the car was true – Northman was famous for it.

"Wow and you said you got to talk to a decorator? What about?"

"He's having some improvements made to his house to make it more comfortable for me. He brought her up from New Orleans and told her to make sure everything was to my tastes. He even had me write out lists of foods I like and the kind of shampoo and stuff I want so his maid can shop for me."

"A man like that," Arlene spewed, "must have women at his house all the time."

"No, actually, I'm the first woman that has been to his home in three years, at least – that's how long the maid has been with him, and she always wished he'd find a nice girl."

"I thought a man that looks like that who owns a bar would have lots of girlfriends," Arlene spat, determined to make Sookie feel bad somehow.

"He used to, but that's all over. He's mine now."

Sam felt faint. Please don't let them be bonded!

"I don't know, Sookie, I wouldn't trust a good looking man like that to be in a bar every night when I couldn't check up on him!"

"I trust Eric, but if it really bothered me, I could always work at Fangtasia – he told me so. He said I'd make more money and I'd be an attraction for the vampires."

Sam didn't like the sound of that at all. He didn't even want to think what life would be like if he didn't have Sookie to look forward 5 or 6 days a week. "You aren't going to be leaving us, are you, Sookie?"

"I'm not planning on it. We'll see how it goes. Right now I'm just getting used to how he operates. I'm not used to people spending money the way he does."

"Has he bought you any fancy presents?" Arlene could use this against her later, she figured.

"I won't let him. I only accepted the riding mower because we really needed it."

"Riding mower?"

"Yeah, our mower died and I just mentioned it in passing and he had a really fancy John Deere delivered the other morning."

"That's not very romantic…" Arlene snapped.

"No, but the two dozen pink roses, the handmade dark chocolates, the pink teddy bear and the bottle of Chanel No. 5 were. I told him I don't want him throwing money at me, but he likes to bring me little things, anyway."

"Wow – I'd kill for a boyfriend like that!" Kim laughed. "Good for you, Sookie!"

"Thanks. I know I'm really lucky. He's like a dream come true."

"You know, Sookie, you still haven't known him very long – there might be some things about him that are not so nice," Sam said, because he couldn't stop himself.

"Oh, I know. He's preparing me for that part of his world. He wants me to know that I can trust him and lean on him before he takes me around other vamps. He swore he'd never let anybody hurt me. I kind of think he wants to show me off, if you can believe that," Sookie laughed.

Sam could most definitely believe that. Sookie would be quite an acquisition for a powerful vampire – her looks and her special ability together would make Eric the envy of the vamp world. He wondered if Eric knew about Sookie's telepathy, but he had a sinking feeling that he knew all about it. Northman may or may not care about Sookie, but he'd most definitely shower Sookie with presents to get control of her skill. Sam considered warning her, but he knew interfering with Eric could mean dying a slow and painful death the likes of which made Northman famous in the Supe world. He needed to really think about this.

"Hey, girls, I've got some paperwork to do. Holler if you need me," he said as he went back to his office.

"'K, Sam!" Sookie, Arlene and Kim all called in unison, which made them all crack up.

A couple with a three and a one year old came in then and sat in Arlene's section, and a group of three truck drivers took up a four-top in the corner. The usual group of local patrons were wandering in and congregating around the pool table and the jukebox, and Sookie was pleasantly busy until Jason, Hoyt and Catfish came in.

SHIT! Sookie had been so intent on making Arlene jealous that she had forgotten that everything she said to her would go right back to Jason! Oh, no – now what would she do? They settled in her section so she went over to take their orders, her mind racing and wondering what she would do when Jason found out she had spent two nights in Eric's house. As she turned their orders in and poured them a pitcher of beer, she could feel her face burning. Arlene was busy at the moment, but Sookie knew it was just a matter of time, so when she took their beer to the table, she pulled Jason over to the entrance where the bathrooms were.

"What's goin' on, Sook?"

"Listen, Jason, I need to tell you something. I don't want to fight with you here about it so please don't embarrass me. I've been to Eric's house for a couple of days…"

"What?!"

"Just listen, Jason! I bragged a little bit to make Arlene jealous and I'm just warning you so you can head off any of her crap about me bein' a whore, OK?"

"How do I know it's crap? It sounds to me…"

"JASON! If you want to fight with me about it, we'll do it at home. Remember what Gran said. Family is supposed to stick together."

"You're not making this easy, Sookie."

"Jason, don't I deserve to be happy? Everybody else gets to be happy – you with your party girls, and other people get engaged and get married. I've found a guy who wants me for me. Can't you understand that?"

"Yeah, I guess I can. OK, I've got your back, Sis."

"Thank you!" Sookie actually gave him a little hug, then went to see if their orders were up. They weren't so she went to wait on a table of four young guys in their late teens and twenties. Sookie took their order and as she turned away from the table, one of them grabbed her bottom cheek. Before she could react, he was being yanked up by his arm and was dangling with his feet off the floor, yelling.

"Eric!" Sookie never expected to see him here now.

"Hey, man, let me go!" The boy was scared to death.

"You will apologize to this lady." Eric was in no mood to argue with the little weasel.

"I didn't mean nothin' by it!"

"Apologize. I won't ask you again. Apologize or we go outside and you won't be coming back." Eric said in a deadly serious tone.

"I- I'm sorry, Miss, I was just foolin' around."

"It will never happen again, do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Get out." Eric released the man and he and his friends ran out the door.

"Eric, what are you doing here?" Sookie hugged and kissed him, then he took her by both shoulders and held her back, looking her over.

"Are you hurt? I felt panic from you and wanted to see if you were alright."

"Oh, well, I guess that must have been when Jason came in. I kind of shot my mouth off to Arlene about being at your house and how nice it was, not thinking that she'd tell him everything I said and I was afraid he would go off on me, but I talked to him and it's OK."

"Your brother is here?"

"Yes."

"I want to meet him."

"OK, but listen, he's not very bright, so don't hurt him if he says something stupid, alright?" Before she had the words out of her mouth, Jason was standing behind her glaring at Eric.

"Is this your new man, Sookie?" Jason was giving him attitude. Sookie knew this was not good.

"Yes, Jason, this is Eric Northman. Be nice."

"What exactly are your intentions with my sister?"

"I intend to marry her."

"What?!"

"I intend to marry your sister. In the mean time, she is mine, and I will not tolerate other men touching her. Were you going to sit there and allow trash like that to maul your sister?"

"They were just kidding around."

"Well, if you will not see to her safety, then I'll be happy to do so."

"Hey, Sookie, your orders are up!" Arlene yelled from the kitchen window.

"I'll be right back. Don't fight." Sookie ran to get the orders and took them to the table where Hoyt and Catfish were sitting with their jaws on the floor as Jason stood talking to this huge, angry vampire.

"Stackhouse, let me make myself clear. By my calculations, you have failed to provide proper support and protection for your sister and your grandmother. Because I love your sister, I will be taking over that role in their lives. I will tolerate you as long as you cause no harm to either of them. If you ever lay hands on Sookie, or treat her with disrespect, I'll break you in half. Do we understand each other?"

"Who the fuck…"

"JASON! Just tell him you understand and go back to your friends," Sookie only heard the last part of that, but she could tell Eric would like nothing more than for Jason to give him an excuse to kick his ass.

"Sookie, everything OK?" Sam called from behind the bar.

"Yeah, Sam, it's OK now."

"I'm done with you, Stackhouse. Go back to your friends." Eric dismissed Jason and walked over to the bar. "You are Merlotte?"

"Yes, this is my bar."

"I would speak to you privately, please." Eric was being very formal now.

"Alright, come back to my office."

"Eric…" Sookie started to interrupt.

Eric smiled softly and stroked her cheek. "Do not worry, Dear One. I merely wish to speak to your boss. There's nothing to worry about. I'll see you in a few minutes." He turned to Sam, "after you, sir."

The two men walked back to the office and Sookie just prayed she still had a job when they got done.


	8. Chapter 8

[Remember, _everything_ falls into place once Eric and Sookie find each other and sometimes it's obvious that there's something bigger going on because things don't go the way you might expect.]

**Zero to Sixty**

Sam showed Eric into his office and then closed the door behind them.

"What can I do for you, Eric?"

Eric smirked at him, knowing he was using his first name to try and diminish the power differential between them, but obviously it wouldn't work with him – Eric was more than secure in his superiority to this lowly Shifter. "Let me be clear, Merlotte. I would prefer that Sookie not work here, but for the moment she chooses to do so. While she is here, I expect her to be safe. By safe, I mean that no one is to touch her – NO ONE – do you understand?"

"I keep a close eye on my girls. I would have stepped in if she hadn't been able to handle those morons…"

Eric spoke quietly and seriously. "That is not acceptable," he snarled. "He touched her in an extremely familiar manner. I will not have _my bonded_ subjected to the attentions of any random red neck that takes a notion to play grab-ass with a hard working waitress."

Sam felt faint. They were bonded. He was in hell.

"She's your bonded?" He tried not to show any emotion, but failed.

"Yes, she is. You understand the ramifications, do you not?"

"Yeah, I do – nobody touches her, ever, for any reason unless it's life or death."

"Exactly. Do you wish for her to continue to work here?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Then I hold you responsible for her protection while she is in your employ. There will be no more incidents of this sort or you can count on a much less agreeable visit from me." Eric turned and left the office without another word.

Sookie was frozen to the spot where Eric had left her, not knowing what to do. Eric came out of the office scowling, but smiled when he saw her and walked confidently back to her.

"Do not worry, Dear One, you still have a job," he told her softly as he stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers then adjusted the little ruby pendant hanging around her neck. He smiled softly at her and flooded the bond with love and comfort so she relaxed a little.

"What did you say to Sam?" She was still a little worried, though just being close to Eric made everything feel better.

"Just that while you choose to work here, I expect him to see to your safety. That's not unreasonable, now, is it?" He gently straightened the little ruby teardrops dangling from her delicate earlobes.

"Well… no…." she was blinking, trying to process that. Could that really be all he said?

"All I did was apprise him of our status and emphasize that I needed to know that you would be safe here. He understood completely, I assure you."

"OK – can you stay a while?" She brightened immediately as she felt happiness and love flow from him.

"I'll have a True Blood while I'm here, if it will please you."

"Yeah, of course. See that booth there?" She pointed to the first booth by the front door, which was empty. "That's my station. You like Type O positive, right?"

"Yes, Sweetheart, that's fine. I'll sit down and you bring it when it is convenient. Don't neglect your other patrons on my account. I'm in no hurry."

"OK, I will and I won't." Sookie knew she sounded like an idiot but it was hard to think with Eric being right here in front of everybody and feeling all those feelings swirling around her. She felt like she just got off a carnival ride as she bounced back to the cooler for his drink, her feet barely touching the floor.

Eric smiled, suppressing a little laughter as he strutted across the room to the empty booth. He was just getting seated when a familiar face entered the bar.

"Bill Compton!" Eric said with a wicked edge to his voice.

Bill froze, feeling like a mouse staring directly into the eyes of a hungry cat. He turned, knowing there was nowhere else to go. "Eric – what a surprise!"

Eric motioned to the other side of the booth and Bill, resigned, sat across from him. Eric nodded to Sookie who looked at them from the kitchen window and nodded that she understood to bring Bill a blood, too.

"Fancy meeting you here, Bill."

"I do live in the area, Eric, where else would you like me to go to socialize?"

Eric smirked and snorted, leaning back with a satisfied air, his arm across the back of the booth. "Go anywhere you like, Bill. Naturally, I can count on you to keep an eye on _my bonded_ when you decide to hang out with your new neighbors, yes?"

"Your…." Bill couldn't bring himself to say it. Surely he hadn't talked her into it already? He had visions of Sophie Ann driving a stake through his heart and laughing about it. The dread of that was only surpassed by the idea of Eric's sword separating his head from his shoulders. "Eric, you didn't… I mean, you wouldn't force that innocent girl…?"

"Rest assured, my young friend, that there was no force involved - merely two lovers swept away on a wave of passion. It was a perfect moment."

"Ever the romantic…" Bill sneered.

"Forever and ever," Eric laughed.

Sookie came over with their bloods then, giggling. "Hey, Bill! Eric, it's so funny – I've never felt anybody so _satisfied_ with themselves! What are you all talking about?"

"Dreams," Eric told her simply, taking her hand and kissing it. Bill thought to himself how easily Eric lied.

"Do vampires dream?" She was bouncy and happy and gushing all over Eric as he held her hand. Bill felt sick.

"Occasionally. I was just telling Bill about one of mine that came true."

"Oh, cool – I've had some of those!" Eric and Bill exchanged a look, both being fairly sure that Sookie had undiscovered talents that would emerge in time.

"Hey, Sookie?" Jason called from his table.

"Oh – be right back!" She beamed at Eric then spun around and went to see what Jason wanted.

Eric watched her skip away, and Bill was shocked for a minute – Eric was looking at her with something more like affection than ownership. Was it possible Eric actually had feelings for Sookie?

"Eric?" Bill thought he interrupted Eric's reverie, wondering if such a thing might actually be possible.

"Yes?"

"Are you just here to check up on Sookie or were you looking for me?"

"I was in the neighborhood and I felt Sookie panic. It turned out to be over nothing, but then as I arrived she was molested by some young idiot, so I dealt with it. I had a word with Merlotte and then she wanted me to stay so here I am. I'll be leaving for Fangtasia in a few minutes and then I'll see her later tonight." Eric seemed to be talking to himself, planning his evening more than conversing with Bill.

Sookie got another pitcher of beer for Jason's table and dropped an order for a basket of wings for Hoyt. She was walking on air when she got back to the table with the pitcher, and Jason couldn't stand it.

"So your new guy thinks he's somethin' doesn't he, Sook? Kinda full of himself, dontcha think?"

"He IS something, Jason – he's rich and gorgeous and powerful. You're full of yourself and you don't have anything but a nice smile and a good line of bullshit."

Jason's jaw hit the floor as Catfish cracked up and Hoyt covered his mouth with a napkin trying not to laugh. Eric and Bill smiled at each other briefly at hearing Sookie stand up to him.

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?" Jason raised his voice a bit and Sookie's eyes darted to Eric's table, where he was now glaring at Jason.

"Jason, cool it. We agreed not to fight, remember? Relax and I'll buy you shot of tequila."

Jason hesitated, but then he figured 'what the hell?' Sookie's new guy was twice his size, anyway. Jason sure as hell didn't want to fight him and he could see in her face that Sookie thought it was a possibility. "Yeah, alright, whatever."

"Son of a bitch," Eric said with disgust.

"Yes, I heard how he spoke to her, too. Are you going to allow that?" Bill challenged him.

"No, but I'll address it privately. I don't want to upset Sookie or embarrass her any more than necessary. Rest assured, that will be the last time he speaks sharply to his sister."

"Good luck with that. My experience with him is that he's a bigot, he's stupid and from what she says he's constantly in trouble."

"That's his problem, but his problems will no longer be Sookie's. Even a dullard like Stackhouse can be taught manners." Eric didn't take his eyes off Sookie as she buzzed about the room serving her tables.

"Just don't kill him – Sookie would be hurt if he were permanently damaged," Bill warned him.

"I'm sure you are right. She's a very caring person. I can't believe he's going to let her spend her hard-earned money buying him alcohol!"

"He apparently feels no guilt at all. He likes to be the center of attention - I'm surprised he hasn't challenged you yet if he knows who you are."

"He tried, but backed down when I asked why he was sitting there allowing his sister to be mauled."

"He was here when it happened?"

"Oh, yes. Believe me, if Sookie were not present, I'd have already taken him outside. Rest assured, I will address the issue and it won't be repeated."

"I'm amazed that you're going to allow Sookie to continue working here at all."

"One step at a time. I told her I'd prefer she not work and I also offered her a great deal more money to work at Fangtasia. I'm going to allow time for those seeds to take root."

"And if they don't?"

"As I said, one step at a time. As our bond matures, she'll want to be with me more and more. I've no doubt that her days as a bar maid are numbered."

"Yes, I'm sure you are right." Bill said almost to himself. This was a done deal. The only way for Bill to get in with Sookie now would be to kill Eric and from what he knew of Eric's strength, an army couldn't take him down. Sophie Ann occasionally tried to intimidate Eric by threatening him with her guards, but Eric just laughed at her. Bill had never seen Eric show fear, even – no, especially – in battle.

Sophie Ann told Bill more than once that if Eric ever decided to be King, no one would dare oppose him. She was both in awe of Eric and afraid of him, and she flirted with him shamelessly when he was in her presence. As much as Sophie Ann loved Andre, Bill believed she'd stake him in a minute if she could get Eric into her bed. She bedded Bill regularly, but he knew he'd never be a serious contender for royal consort. Eric could have the throne and everything that came with it – he just hadn't shown any interest. Eric was as cocky as he was for a reason. He knew that he was easily the first choice of nearly any vampiress – or vampire for that matter – as far as partners or protectors went. The ones that didn't lust after him feared him. The smart ones did both.

Eric finished his blood as Sookie came back to the booth.

"Can I get you anything else?" She said hopefully.

"No, Dear One, I'm afraid I must be going. I will see you later tonight though, yes?" He smiled softly at her as he stood up.

"Yes, of course!"

"Good. You have a good night," he pulled out his wallet, "and I'll count the minutes until we are together again," he threw a hundred on the table. Sookie started to object, but he stopped her with a kiss. "I don't have change," he said with a wink.

"Eric!" She whined a little, but he kissed her forehead and left without another word.

"Ah!" She couldn't believe he did that, but then again, she could. "Can I get you anything else, Bill?"

"I'll take another blood, but I'm going to move to the bar if you don't mind."

"No, not at all," she noticed Bill was pulling out his wallet. "Oh, that's OK, we can start a tab for you…"

"I should pay you separately…"

"Don't be silly – Eric just gave me enough to pay for both drinks several times over. I don't know how I'm going to get him to stop doing that!"

"Why would you stop him?" Bill asked as the two of them walked toward the bar

"I don't want him throwing money at me."

"Sookie, did you bond with Eric?" Bill asked as he slid onto a stool across from the soda fountain.

"Yeah – he told you?" Sookie was washing some glasses under the bar so she could talk to Bill for a minute.

"Yes, he did. Didn't he explain what that means?"

"You mean about supporting me and all that?"

"Yes – you are entitled to the finest support Eric can afford."

"When we get married, I'll let him spend a little money on me, but for right now, he's overly generous as it is."

"You don't understand – did he explain how you working makes him look?"

"No. What do you mean?"

"It makes him look cheap. I'm surprised he didn't insist that you quit your job."

"That's crazy! I mean, he told me I didn't need to work, and he said if I insisted I'd make more at Fangtasia, but he didn't say that my working here was bad. He just said I wasn't being paid enough."

"You aren't, but that's the least of it. I'm sure he doesn't like you wearing that uniform, either."

"Yeah, he said it doesn't do me justice."

"It doesn't cover you properly, either."

"Did he say that?"

"He doesn't have to. No vampire would want his bonded showing so much of her lower… limbs."

"It's a vamp thing?"

"Yes, it is."

"I guess I have a lot to learn, huh? Ooh – I'll be back!" Sookie ran off to tend to one of her tables where they were ready to pay their bill.

Bill was wondering why he was telling Sookie these things. Why did he care if Sookie made Eric look bad? Eric was probably counting on the fact that the only vampire that came into Merlotte's was Bill. Still, other Supes came into the bar. Once word got around that Eric had bonded, people might come looking for her. Bill was surprised to learn that he cared, not just because of his feelings for Sookie, but because it was sort of a point of pride for vampires. The way one vampire treated his bonded reflected on all of them. He didn't doubt Eric's desire to support Sookie, so Bill began to think that it might be a good idea to help Sookie understand what it meant. That might help get him on Eric's good side, too, and that was no small thing. If Bill could get Eric to see him as an ally instead of a rival, Bill was much more likely to keep his head.

"You alright, Bill? You seem really intense about something," Sookie asked playfully as she came back for a pitcher of beer.

"I was just thinking. Sookie, you do understand that a bond is forever, don't you?"

"Yes, it's amazing. It's even better than I ever imagined. I'm still kind of dizzy from the rush of feelings and the fact that I can always feel where Eric is if I think about it for a minute, but I never felt so loved in my whole life!"

"You don't get any negative emotions from Eric? Greed, deviousness, anger…?"

"I got anger when that guy grabbed me and when Jason yelled at me just now, but mostly I just feel love and concern and comfort. I can feel him sort of checking in with me every few minutes, too. It's like I'm never far from his mind."

"Really? You feel nothing that scares you?"

Sookie was wiping down the bar so she could keep talking. "No, not at all. I never felt safer in my life. I know if anything goes wrong, Eric will be right there as quick as he can."

"Do you know anything about how he lives?"

"Yeah, I just spent two days at his house – it's really nice."

"It is?"

"Yeah – are you worried about me, Bill?"

"Hey, Sookie, fill these up for me," Arlene dropped off two empty pitchers as she went into the kitchen.

"Yes, Sookie, I am," Bill continued.

Sookie brought the pitchers over to the tap. "You don't really know Eric, Bill. I know he's had to do some horrible things and I know he'll have to again, but he's not at all like that when he's with me. You've never been to his house, have you?"

"No, honestly, I can't even imagine what Eric's nest would be like."

"It's a gorgeous big house full of servants that are really loyal to him."

"You're kidding?"

"No, it's really nice, and he's making it nicer just for me. I think maybe I see a side of Eric that no one else does. You know him as your sheriff, but you don't really know him socially. Here you go, Arlene," Sookie slid the pitchers to the end of the bar as Arlene came back through.

"Well, that's true, I suppose. I know him through political channels. In that context, Sookie, he is very, very dangerous. I can't even imagine him being as you describe him."

"Maybe he doesn't want you to? Maybe he wants to keep that part of his life private, so the political stuff doesn't invade his home life?"

"I must admit, that never occurred to me. Maybe that's why…" Bill suddenly realized what he was about to say.

"Why what?"

"Why Eric is not King." Bill figured there was no harm in saying it – she was his now.

"There's already a Queen, though, right?"

"Yes, but if he wanted to, Eric could easily seize power."

"Then I guess he doesn't want to. He likes his home to be restful."

"Restful? Eric?"

"Yeah. You know I'm the only woman who has ever been there with him? His maid confirmed that. She always wished he'd meet a nice girl."

"What you are telling me is 180 degrees from the ruthless Eric Northman I know."

"You just don't know him, then. There's a lot more to him than you've ever seen, I promise you," Sookie wiped her hands on a towel under the bar and headed to the booth next to the jukebox where two women and a man just sat down.

'Alright,' Bill thought to himself, 'Eric is an accomplished liar, but can he be good enough to fool Sookie in the bond? There's no way to hide your feelings from your bonded, is there?' Bill's young age was a definite disadvantage in this case. He had never been bonded, so he only had the descriptions of others to go on. As he understood it, it wouldn't be possible for Eric to hide his true feelings from Sookie. If she was being flooded with positive feelings… Bill's mind rapidly ran through all of the interactions he had had with Eric concerning Sookie. Eric stated clearly that he cared about Sookie, and that the reason was none of his business. As impossible as it seemed, Bill was beginning to think Eric might really be in love!

Bill thought about that for a minute. On one hand, this was a potential weakness, and the first Eric had ever shown. On the other hand, if he really cared about Sookie, it might make him even more vicious than ever. He had promised to stake anyone that interfered with his relationship with her. Eric's words came to mind, "she's meant for me, and I shall have her" and "there are larger forces at work than you can possibly imagine." Did Eric believe there was there some form of magick involved? Bill knew next to nothing about sorcery and not much about other forms of Supes. The available expert on these matters was Sophie Ann, but Bill knew better than to relay information about Eric to the Queen. Eric would kill him if he thought Bill was informing on him in any way. Still, it wouldn't hurt to pump Sophie Ann for some general info. She loved to show off her extensive knowledge of esoterica of any sort. It wouldn't be hard to get her to educate him a bit – she'd jump at the chance, especially if others were around. Bill hadn't planned to attend the next party, but that would be a perfect time to find her in a gregarious mood.

"Hey, Bill, how are you?" Sam was mostly being polite because he owned the bar. He could live without these vampires coming in, but Bill wasn't after Sookie anymore, so what the hell. His money was as green as anybody's.

"Fine, thank you."

"Can I get you another blood? I'm about to make last call."

"Oh, no, thank you, I'll just finish this up and be on my way."

"You've talked to Sookie, I guess?"

"Yes, and to Eric earlier."

"Is there anything…?" Sam stopped himself.

Bill knew what he wanted to ask. "The bond can only be broken by killing him, and trying that would be a fool's errand. It would take an army to oppose Eric."

"Yeah, that's my understanding of it, too. Did she understand what she was doing?"

"Honestly, yes, I think she did. She's very excited about it."

"Well, I hope he doesn't hurt her."

"Or get her hurt by someone else. At this point, that seems almost inevitable." Bill stood and pulled out his wallet.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so, too."

"Look at it this way – Eric will do everything in his power to protect what is his. Anyone who threatens her will meet the edge of Eric's sword, no matter who they are. I suppose we can take some comfort in that."

"That's somethin', I guess. Good night, Bill."

"Good night." Bill headed for the front door.

"LAST CALL!" Sam loved the way that always set the girls buzzing, running to do a last check on their tables, running up for one last pitcher or a few bottles, the beginning of bussing tables and cleaning up that always made Sam feel secure and content for some reason.

Sookie finished her tables and gathered up the salt, pepper and sugar shakers on a tray while Kim started putting chairs upside down on the tables that were empty. Arlene was gathering up empties left on the ledges by the pool table and shooing people toward the door. Once the last person was gone, Sam locked the front door and started closing out the cash register.

Arlene jumped in to help Sookie refill shakers so Kim got stuck mopping the floor. Lafayette or Terry Bellefleur normally did that, but they closed the kitchen early tonight and were long gone.

"So Sookie," Arlene started in, "those new earrings you're wearin'?"

"Yes, they're a gift from Eric. There's a pendant, too, see?" Sookie pulled the larger ruby out from under her t-shirt and held it forward a minute.

"Hmm – 'sat silver or white gold?"

"It's white gold, of course. Vamps don't like silver."

"Are they real?"

"Yes, Arlene, they're genuine rubies."

"Bet they cost a pretty penny."

"I wouldn't know – I couldn't exactly ask him how much they cost, now, could I?"

"Well, if that's real gold and those are genuine rubies, I'd say they cost more than your car."

"That can't be possible, can it?" Sookie was sure they couldn't be that expensive.

"Let's put it this way – I ain't ever seen genuine rubies in any of the catalogs. They're always those fake cubic zirconia whatevers 'cos rubies are a precious gem like diamonds and emeralds."

"I wouldn't know, Arlene, and I'm not going to go looking it up. Eric wanted me have something to represent what we mean to each other so I'm happy to have them, whatever they're worth."

"Wow – you guys are movin' right along, aren't you?"

"Yeah – so? We just clicked."

"Love at first sight, huh?" Arlene was trying to needle Sookie, but she was awash in positive feelings flowing from Eric, who for some reason didn't feel very far away.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I guess it was." Sookie was talking more to herself now, not really thinking that it was Arlene she was talking to. "When we met it was so intense! I never felt anything like it. It's like we've known each other for years. I thought it was just me at first, but he felt it, too, and came to find me."

"Soulmates, huh? But then, vamps don't have souls – they're dead."

Sookie snapped out of it. "Says who? Eric has as much soul as anyone else! Maybe more because he's so old."

"Well, this preacher on TV the other night said they're unnatural demons from Hell."

"Don't believe everything you see on TV, Arlene," Sam said from behind the register.

"Thanks, Sam," Sookie said, wishing Arlene would go away now.

"Made a lot of sense if you ask me. Our pastor at church is going to give a whole sermon about 'em next weekend."

"Whatever." Sookie took the salt, sugar and pepper containers back to the kitchen.

"Do you need me to do anything else, Sam?" Sookie was more than ready to go home.

"No, Cher, that's all for tonight. You can head on home."

"Cool, thanks!" Sookie went into the office for her purse, then went out the back door to her car. She was on the road before Arlene realized she was gone.

Sookie was about half way home when she heard a weird rattling under the hood, then another loud clunk and the car died. Shit. She was in the middle of nowhere, and didn't relish the thought of walking the rest of the way home in the dark. The moon was nothing but a crescent and she didn't even think she had a flashlight in the trunk. There were no streetlights this far out in the country. She was debating whether home or Merlotte's was closer when her cell phone rang.

"Eric?"

"Yes, Sookie, what is wrong?"

"Oh – my car just broke down. Did you feel that?"

"I felt something was amiss. Where are you?"

"About half way home, where there are no lights or anything."

"Alright, lock all your doors, put on your emergency lights and stay put. I'll be there in about 10 minutes. Don't open your doors to anyone but me." Eric turned back to Jason, whose eyes were bulging because Eric had him by the throat up against the door of his truck. "Remember what I said, Stackhouse. When you insult your sister, you insult me. The next insult will be the last mistake you ever make. This is the only warning I'm going to give you and you're only getting it because Sookie would be hurt if you died. If I have to come out here again, they will never find your remains. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes." Jason managed to squeak out. Eric let him go, and waited for Jason scramble into his house before he took to the sky.

**

"Oh, OK." Sookie hung up the phone switched on her blinkers and locked all the doors, then settled back to wait for Eric. She considered calling Gran, but chose not to wake her. There wasn't a sign of anyone out here, so she passed the time playing solitaire on her phone. After about five minutes, Sookie saw something run across the road in front of her, but it was too dark to make it out and she only caught it in her peripheral vision. Her mind must have been playing tricks on her because she could swear that it was a person with the head of a bull. Sookie figured she was just seeing things because she was tired. She didn't think anything about it until something jumped on the hood of her car, clawing at the windshield.

Sookie screamed and screamed, even after the creature turned and ran back into the woods. She was still screaming when Eric knocked on her window.

"Eric! Eric! Did you see it? Hurry, get in the car!"

"You stay put, Sookie. I'm going to take you home now." Sookie was never so glad to see anyone in her life but then suddenly she realized that she and her car were being lifted into the air!

'He can fly, Sookie, remember? He can fly. Calm down," she told herself. "We'll be home and safe in a minute." She was desperately trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Eric could fly with a car in his hands.

In much less time than it would have taken to drive that distance, Eric set her gently down in her usual parking spot outside the house. Sookie couldn't get out of the car and into his arms fast enough.

"Alright, Dear One, it's alright now. Shh… go on into the house and let me in your window."

She was reluctant to let him go, but he walked her up to the steps to her house and let her get inside and the door locked, then he want up to her window. Sookie tiptoed through the house as quickly as she could without waking Gran up and she was at her window immediately. Eric slipped quietly in, and she grabbed him around the waist and held on for a long time. Eric just petted her hair and her back and spoke softly to her until she stopped shaking. Gradually, he got her to kick off her shoes and lie down with him, but he knew to wait until she was much calmer before he initiated anything sexual. She needed to feel safe right now, and he flooded the bond with comfort and security as she snuggled against his chest.

After about half an hour, Sookie was breathing normally and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and she stretched her neck upward for a kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No need to thank me, dear one." He smoothed her hair back from her face, "I'm sorry I was not there sooner to spare you that fright."

"What was that thing?"

"I didn't get a good look at it, but I smelled the stench. I'll investigate as I make my way home tonight."

"Be careful! Please don't get hurt!"

"Nothing will hurt me, Sookie, I'll be fine. Just relax, now, and try to enjoy our time together."

"We don't have a lot of time – we should get undressed."

"Are you sure you are up to sex tonight? We don't have to…"

"I want to! Don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do, I just don't want to push you if you are not up to it."

"I think I really need it right now," she began to sit up and tried to get the tail of her t-shirt out of her waistband. Eric helped her out of her clothing and put her under the covers, then he stripped very quickly and got in with her.

He took her in his arms and kissed her, gradually getting a little playful and making her smile and laugh a little.

"Eric?"

"Yes, Dearest?"

"Don't you dare buy me a car!"

Eric cracked up. "You know me that well already?"

"Yeah, I do, and it's way too soon for you to spend that kind of money on me."

"Would you consider a compromise?"

"Such as?"

"I have yours repaired tomorrow and get you a rental car to drive until it is usable?"

"That's still a lot of money… but I don't see how I'm going to get to work any other way. Jason can't take me and Arlene and I aren't exactly buddies at this point. There's no way I want Gran out alone at that time of night. I could ride my bike but with that thing out there…"

"Alright, then, you leave it to me and you will have a ride to work tomorrow."

"Thanks. I know you aren't crazy about me working there, and all, but…"

"Do not worry about that, Sookie. I want you to be happy and do what is comfortable for you."

"You think I'll quit eventually, don't you?"

"I have to be honest with you because of our bond. Yes, I do."

"Does the bond force you to be honest?"

"No, but respect for it does. To honor you and honor our bond, I must be honest with you."

"Wow – that's deep," she joked, still struggling to grasp the real meaning of the bond. The more she learned about it, the happier she was that they had done it.

"Yes, it is." He kissed her forehead and then she laid her head against his chest.

"OK, honestly, if you could make me do anything you wanted me to do – not sexually, of course, but in terms of lifestyle – what would you want me to do?"

"I would want you to live with me in Shreveport and let me support you."

"Are you operating on the assumption that that is eventually going to happen?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, me too, just not too fast. I don't want to just abandon Gran all at once."

"There are empty rooms on the second floor…"

"She'll never leave this house. Just give me some time to see how she feels about it when we've been together for a while. We need to do this in stages. Let her get used to me spending a couple of days a week away, then we'll increase it, and eventually I'll move from Merlotte's to Fangtasia, but I do want to work so I can contribute something to the house…"

Eric tried not to laugh out loud. "That is very sweet of you, Sookie, and I want you to do what is most comfortable for you, but just being with me is all the contribution you could make. I have more money than you can imagine, but your time is priceless to me."

"I'd still like to work at Fangtasia with you so we'd have more time together."

"Alright, we'll consider that one of your transitional steps."

"OK, and keep in mind, I'll need to give money to Gran."

"I told you, Sookie, I'll provide anything she needs."

"I don't know if she'll take it, though."

"You can give her gifts, so she won't refuse, and as for the taxes on this property, I can have my day man go to the county clerk's office and pay those up so she'll only get a bill for zero. If you give me the account numbers, I'll have automatic payments set up for your electricity, gas, and water. These are small things, Sookie, neither of you need worry about them."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. If I were not willing and able to do those things, I would not have bonded with you. I almost wish…" he stopped for a second – did he really want to suggest this?

"Wish what?"

"That we could just explain it to her so she'd know I cannot leave you now."

"We will at some point but not so soon. She'd be really upset if she knew I did something permanent so quickly."

"Alright, then, we will wait," he feigned suffering, teasing her and made her giggle.

He loved the sound of her laughter. He would do anything to make her smile or laugh and he already found himself trying to think of things to please her when they were apart.

"Eric, don't do anything like that just yet. Give me some time to prepare her for it, OK?"

"Yes, of course, Sookie." He kissed her hard then and they stopped talking. By the time he had to leave, Sookie was spent and sleeping soundly. He made a brief round through the woods where Sookie had seen the creature, but the scent was fading so he knew it had left the area hours before. For some odd reason, the trail stopped cold at the edge of the woods. He'd make a point of searching for it every night on his way from Sookie's house, in case it was a danger to the neighborhood. It was a little too close to the Stackhouse residence for Eric's liking. He took some comfort in knowing it was probably a creature of the night, as most Supes were, so they should be safe in the daytime. He knew from the scent and from Sookie's description it was not a normal animal of any sort.

Eric left a message for his day man about what he wanted done regarding Sookie's car. He had devised a little scheme that he hoped would end in replacing that yellow piece of shit she drove permanently, and he went to bed with a satisfied grin, having put the wheels in motion, so to speak.

Adele was making tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, thinking about waking Sookie up so she could eat and get ready for work, when there was a knock at the door.

"Ms. Stackhouse?" The same gentleman who had delivered the lawn mower was on their front porch again and this time, he had a tow truck with him and a car on a trailer.

"Did you want Mrs. Adele Stackhouse or Miss Sookie?" Gran already knew the answer.

"Miss Sookie, if she's available – I believe she's expecting us."

"Just a moment, please," Adele went back in to the bottom of the stairs, pretty sure what was going on, "Sookie, Honey, are you awake? You have a visitor."

"Be right down, Gran!" Sookie grabbed a little yellow knit tank dress and a pair of panties and threw them on, then bopped down the stairs. "What's up, Gran?" she asked as she gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"He's at the door."

Sookie opened the door, and saw a slightly plump Southern man of the suit-and-tie wearing, good ol' boy type. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Miss Sookie? Pleased to meet you, Miss," he offered his hand and she shook it, "I'm Bobby Burnham, Mr. Northman's daytime representative. We're just here to have your car taken to the shop, and drop off the rental for you to use. He said you'd be expecting us?"

"Oh, yeah, he did say something about that. What do I need to do?"

"You just give me the keys to your car, we'll load it up and we'll leave this other for you to use as long as you want to."

"OK, my keys are in the kitchen. Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee?"

"Oh, no, thank you, dear. I'll just wait here, if you don't mind."

"Sure, I'll be right back with them."

Sookie ran to the kitchen counter and grabbed her keys, taking the house key off the ring as she came back through the living room. "Here you go, Mr. Burnham,"

"Alright, my dear, we'll load it up and get you squared away. It's the yellow car, yes?" He turned and motioned to the tow truck.

"Yes, it is. Thank you so much!"

"Not at all, not at all." He took the keys down to the yard and gave them to the guys with the tow truck, then directed the men with the rental car, which looked brand new, to drop it in the spot cleared by the truck.

Sookie stood watching from the porch as Adele came out to join her.

"I take it Mr. Northman is behind this?" Adele said with as much calm as she could, considering how nervous she was.

"Yeah, my car broke down last night and Eric had to come get me. I told him not to dare buy me a new car and he offered a compromise, which was to get my car fixed and get me a rental to use in the mean time."

"Are you comfortable taking another large gift from him already?"

"Well… yeah, actually, I am, just because it's temporary and I need a way to get to work. Eric would like me to just quit my job altogether, so it's kind of cool that he's willing to do something to let me keep the job."

"He doesn't want you to work? How does he expect you to pay bills?"

"I told him it's way too early for this, but what he wants to do is set up automatic payments for everything here."

"You mean household bills?"

"Yeah, electric, gas, water – even the taxes on the house. He'd pay for everything if we'd let him."

"Sookie, Honey, this is moving awfully fast. Are you sure you want to let Mr. Northman that far into your life so soon?"

"I know it seems fast, Gran, but Eric is in and he's not going away. We're forever."

"Oh, my." Gran sat down in the rocker on the porch and watched as the tow truck pulled away and they moved the trailer with the car, then drove it down a ramp that was built into it.

"Gran, are you upset with me?"

"No, Honey, this is just all very sudden. You've gone from being a single working girl to very nearly a fiancé to a very wealthy man practically over night. I'm just afraid that all this money is such a temptation, that you might forget what's really important."

"None of it would mean anything if Eric didn't love me, Gran. I don't think I'm being dazzled – not too much, anyway – it's just that when a need arises, instead of scraping by or making do like we usually do, Eric is able and willing to fill the need. You're not up to driving me to and from work, and Jason wouldn't if he could and Arlene is being a pain in the butt, so I'd have to miss work at the same time I'd have to come up with money to have the car towed and repaired. That would wipe out the little bit of money I've got saved, if I even had enough to cover the repairs."

"Well, I suppose that's true. I just worry you'll become dependent on him and then find yourself wanting out with nowhere to go."

"That won't happen, Gran. If anything ever went wrong, I could always come here, right? And I've never been afraid of hard work, it's just…"

Mr. Burnham came back up the steps with a set of keys and an envelope and he was talking fast. "Alright, my dear, here are the keys to the rental. Now, Mr. Northman has a three-year lease on it, so you use it just as long as you want, and these," he handed her the envelope, "are for both of you to use on anything you want, anytime you want, so don't be shy about it. Make sure you sign the backs. I'm late for a meeting. See y'all later." He was off the porch and into his car as fast as he could move because Mr. Northman told him they might try to refuse and that under no circumstances was he to take 'no' for an answer.

Sookie and Adele were shocked as they looked into the envelope. There were two Visa cards inside, one with each of their names on them.

"Did he say there's a three-year lease? It was just supposed to be a rental for a couple of days!" Sookie couldn't believe it. Eric just handed her a new car and a credit card. "Gran, I had no idea he was going to do this!"

"He's full of surprises. He's also apparently not used to people saying 'no'

to him. He just does what he wants no matter how other people feel about it." Gran was trying not to get angry, but this was a big deal.

"Well, no, I don't think people say 'no' to him very often…" Shit. Sookie was sure Gran was going to hit the roof.

"I don't want you to rush into anything, Sookie, but I think we both know you've passed that point already. If he's going to insist on spending this kind of money on you, the next surprise better be an engagement ring. I won't have people thinking you're some rich man's mistress. Tongues were already wagging. When you pull into Merlotte's tonight in a brand new car, that's just going to be fuel for the fire. I fully expect it to be a very long engagement so you can get to know him better, but if you're going to have his cars and his credit cards, by Heaven, there better be a ring on your finger. I made it perfectly clear to him that I won't have you treated like a kept woman."

"He'll give me a ring as soon as he knows I'll accept one…"

"Fine. Not another dime until you've got a ring on your finger, is that clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Alright, go look over your new car and see if it needs gas. I'm sure it's got a full tank, but you need to know if you need to leave early tonight. I don't want you speeding." Gran went back in the house, taking the envelope with her and letting the screen door slam behind her.

Sookie knew she better let Gran have time to cool off so she went over to look at the car, which turned out to be a brand new, metallic blue Camaro. Sookie got in and started it up and it purred like a kitten. Gran was right – the gas tank was full. The book was on the passenger seat so Sookie took a few minutes to look through it and learn where the switches and buttons were. The insurance papers were inside the book so she put them in the glove compartment. She played around with the radio, made a note to bring some CDs out with her for the drive to work, and learned how the seat worked. The interior was black leather and the dashboard looked like the cockpit of a plane. The only car this fancy Sookie had ever been in was Eric's 'Vette.

Sookie felt like she was on a roller coaster. Part of her knew she should be mad at Eric for doing this, but this was really cool. She knew she should make Eric take the car back, but realistically, she knew he wouldn't do it. It flashed through her mind that she couldn't wait for Jason to see it, but then she realized Jason was going to have a heart attack when she showed up in this fancy car. Arlene would absolutely shit herself, a thought which made Sookie snicker, though she immediately felt bad about it. She realized Gran was right, though – if she was going to be driving Eric's car, there needed to be some evidence of a commitment.

It also occurred to her that in a way, this made getting engaged easier. Instead of Gran objecting to a ring, now she was demanding it. Sookie knew Eric would be thrilled about that, and truth be told, so would she. She wanted the whole world to know that she was Eric's and Eric was hers. The necklace and earrings were nice, but they were just jewelry. Everybody knows what an engagement ring means!

Sookie figured Gran was probably a bit cooler now and she was getting hungry, so she took the book for the car in with her, where Gran had set the table with bowls of soup and a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches. Sookie sat in her usual place and Gran knew she was afraid to say anything.

"Sookie, you know I'm not accusing you of anything untoward, don't you?" Gran sat down at the table.

"Yes, ma'am," Sookie said as she took a gooey, warm cheese sandwich from the plate.

"But we both know that your relationship with Mr. Northman has gone beyond dating, and people know about it, so there needs to be a commitment."

"He already said he wanted to give me a ring, Gran. I told him to wait a while, but if you think I should have it now, all I have to do is tell him that."

"I want you to know that I've given this a lot of thought, Sookie. I'd insist you give the car back, but yours isn't really safe to drive and we both know that. I won't have to worry about you getting stranded in this new one, and I'm also pleased to know that Mr. Northman came all the way from Shreveport in the middle of the night to get you home safely. This is far too sudden for my tastes, but at this point, your reputation is at stake. You've always been a good girl, and I want people to know you still are. There's nothing wrong with a fiancé getting his intended a decent car or making her life a little easier. That's what they're supposed to do, though most wouldn't have the resources to be so generous."

"Just so you know, Gran, if I say it's OK, he might show up with a ring tomorrow…"

"The sooner the better. Before you go to work, I want you to call Mr. Northman and thank him for his kindness and let him know that because it would be unfair to make you give back his gifts, I feel that there needs to be an official engagement in place. He'll understand what I mean. Be very specific – no more gifts until you are officially engaged."

"OK, Gran. I'll call him as soon as I get done eating, then I have to hit the shower if I'm going to make it to work on time."

"That's fine then. Now, what kind of car is it?" Adele tried to be happy for Sookie as she bubbled over about how pretty and fancy the new car was, and how it had a CD player and the insurance papers were already in the car.

This was scary. It was scary that Adele was going to be alone soon, and it was scary that Sookie was already so attached to someone so much older and so much more sophisticated. So far Eric had been very respectful and kind but Adele was afraid that was the rush of a new relationship and that later on he might not be so generous and loving. That was a possibility in any relationship, of course, which is why you take these things slowly. Sookie had done in days what should have taken months, but it was done. Now that she had spent the night with him, Adele felt it was only right that Sookie consider it a commitment and give the relationship her full devotion as long as he was faithful and treated her well.

As soon as she was done eating, Sookie bounded upstairs and grabbed her cell off the nightstand. She was excited to tell Eric what Gran had said, even if Gran was a bit hot when she said it. She was about to burst as the phone rang.

"Eric Northman," said the message. That was it – nothing else, just his voice saying his name.

"Hi, Sweetie. Gran wanted me to call you so you'd get this message first thing. First, thank you for getting my car worked on and for the rental, you sneak. Mr. Burnham said there was a three-year lease, so I assume you intend for me to keep it, right? Gran was a little unhappy that you spent that much money, and had those credit cards delivered, so she said, and I quote, "not another dime until there's a ring on your finger." So, if you still want to get me an engagement ring, go for it. She says without it, accepting all this money makes me look like your mistress. She said she expects it to be a long engagement, but if I'm going to be driving your car and using your credit card, there better be a commitment. I almost think she might let you pay some bills if we're officially engaged. Anyway, I love you and I can't wait to see you tonight. I get off at the same time. Thanks again! Muah!" She did her best to send a kiss across the phone line, then bounced up off the bed and into the shower.

Sookie knew what Arlene and her ilk would say, but Sookie was still looking forward to driving in to work in that awesome blue Camaro. After Jason had his hissy fit, he'd be totally jealous because he always liked them when he was in school. Sookie gave Gran a big hug and kiss, and headed out for work a few minutes early because she couldn't wait.

The lot was full tonight, the dinner rush stretching out into the night because there were a lot of locals who just decided to hang. Kim was pulling into the lot just as Sookie got out of her car, and her eyes bugged out.

"Wow, Sookie – did you buy a new car?" Kim's short brown curls were dancing around her face as she walked.

"Oh – no, I borrowed it from a friend."

"Your boyfriend, Eric?" Kim thought the whole thing was very romantic and exciting.

"Yeah, he said I could use it as long as I wanted because mine broke down last night and he had to come get me."

"Wow – he's a doll. He's so good looking, too!" They started toward the back entrance together, chatting, as Lafayette came out to put some garbage in the bin.

"Ooh – ee, Sookie! Whose Camaro are you driving?"

"It's Eric's!" Kim told him, almost as excited as Sookie was, "isn't that sweet?"

"Damn, girl, he's a keeper! Has he got a brother?" Lafayette joked.

"If he does, I got dibs!" Kim laughed.

"Yeah, he's a pretty cool guy," Sookie agreed, blushing a little.

"You're so lucky, Sookie," Kim said as they entered the back of the bar and headed for Sam's office. "It's because you're so sweet. You deserve a nice guy like that." They were alone in Sam's office now, putting their purses away and Kim whispered to Sookie, "don't you pay no mind to that Arlene, girl, she's just green. You enjoy that man as long as you can. The good ones don't come along every day."

"Yeah, that's true. Believe me, I'm having fun, and I have no plans to stop." The two of them giggled together as they went out front. Sookie thought that was cool that Kim would say that to her and thought maybe she might turn out to be a good friend. Arlene was becoming such a bigot, it was hard to deal with her. Between the reactionary preachers she listened to and René's disappearance, she was getting so shrill she was hard to be around, and she was taking all her anger out on Sookie.

"Well, well! 'Bout time you all got here." Speak of the devil – Arlene was working a double shift today and she was in a rare mood.

Sookie thought maybe she could head it off before it started. "We're actually five minutes early, Arlene. Why don't you go on break? I'll cover your tables."

"I _could_ use a cigarette. Keep an eye on the guys by the jukebox. They've run me ragged and I know they're going to stiff me on the tip."

"I'll watch them. You go on."

Unfortunately, that was a tactical error on Sookie's part. While Arlene went back to get her Lucky Strikes, she overheard Lafayette and Terry talking about Sookie's new car. Arlene came back from her break loaded for bear.

"So tall, blonde and dead is buying you cars now, huh, Sookie?"

"He did not buy me a car. It's a rental he's letting me use because mine broke down."

"Uh-huh. When do you have to give it back?"

"I don't, actually, I can keep it as long as I want. Here, table 7 left you two dollars."

"Dang it! I knew it! So, did he rent it or lease it?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but he leased it."

"For how long?"

"Three years, alright? Maybe he's got other plans for it when I'm done with it."

"Yeah, he's got plans alright…" Arlene sneered.

"Hey, Sookie, your cell phone is ringing," Sam said as he came out to the bar.

"You sure it's mine?"

"Yeah, you've got that crazy Matchbox 20 ring tone. It's rung twice – go make sure it's not an emergency."

"Thanks, Sam," Sookie went back to check her phone and Sam motioned for Arlene to come over to him.

"Listen, Arlene, I want you to stop riding Sookie about her new boyfriend. You don't want to make him angry and if she's unhappy, he'll be angry."

"I'm not afraid of him if she's not…" Arlene spat back.

"You'd better be afraid of him and she should be, too, even though he cares about her. Now stop pickin' at her and pay attention to your tables. You got new people on 5."

"Oh, alright," Arlene headed to table 5 and Sam just shook his head. He didn't know for sure if Northman would kill somebody for picking on Sookie but he figured it would be better not to find out, especially since he'd hold Sam responsible, too.

Sookie checked her phone – two missed calls from Eric! She hit the button to dial him back and was tickled to death when he picked up the phone.

"Sookie, my lover!" Eric was obviously very happy.

"Hey, Sweetie, what's up?"

"I got your very surprising message and just wanted to confirm with you – your Grandmother said she WANTS me to give you an engagement ring?"

"Yeah, you coulda knocked me over with a feather. I think she figures you're not going to stop spending money on me so a ring makes it more acceptable somehow."

Eric laughed out loud. "You know, I did not think of it that way, but she is right, of course! I had no idea that a leased car was enough to tilt the scales in that direction. She didn't think the necklace and earrings were enough?"

"I don't know that she noticed them. The thing is, nobody knows what they mean unless I tell them. Everybody knows what an engagement ring means and I think she's worried about what people around here think, you know, because most guys don't lend girls cars and such."

"This is about the difference between a kept woman and a wife, yes?"

"Yes."

"And a ring means you will be a wife eventually. And she does not think it is too soon?"

"Yes, she does, but she figures a quick, long engagement is better than people thinking I'm a you-know-what."

"Alright, when is your next night off?"

"I'm working early tomorrow, so I'll be home by 7."

"Alright, I'll pick you up at 8 o'clock. I'm sorry I cannot come out tonight – I have important business that cannot wait."

"Oh, that's OK, Sweetie. I hate for you to come all this way when we only have a few hours anyway."

"Yes, but I will when I must. Remember, I promised we'd try not to go 2 days without seeing each other."

"OK, well, I should get back to work…"

"Alright, Sweetheart. By the way – happy anniversary."

"Anniversary?"

"In a manner of speaking – we met one week ago, tonight."

"Wow – it's only been a week?"

"Yes, but…"

"It feels like years!"

"Yes, it does. Call me when you get home and get in bed, alright?"

"Definitely. I won't be able to sleep without hearing your voice!"

"Goodbye, Sookie."

"Bye!" Sookie stowed her phone and bounced back out to the bar, determined not to let anything, Arlene included, bother her tonight so she only sent Eric positives vibes.

Eric smiled as he hung up the phone. He brushed his hair and pulled it back with a black elastic holder. He threw on his long black coat, took a deadly sharp Katana from the locker behind his desk and pressed the buzzer to the front of the house.

"Yes, Master?"

"Tell Pam I'm working on the accounts and I'll see her before closing."

"Yes, Master."

Eric knew Pam would know to let everyone think he was in his office all night, and he triggered an automated program set up to make it look as if he spent the evening working on his computer. He slipped out the back door of Fangtasia and took to the sky, steeling himself for tonight's assignment from Sophie Ann.

It was just after 8 PM when Adele answered a knock at the front door.

"Yes, Can I help you?" She was looking at an elegant looking man with long silver hair. He was impeccably dressed and carrying a cane with a carved handle.

"Mrs. Adele Stackhouse? I am Niall Brigant. I believe you knew my son."


	9. Chapter 9

'**Tis Almost Fairy Time***

"Brigant?" Adele said with a shudder. She hadn't heard that name in a long, long time.

"Yes, my Dear – you were very close to my son, Fintan, I believe?" He handed her a card with his name and a phone number printed on it.

"Uh… well…"

"I know this must be a shock but I'm fully aware of the _extent_ of your relationship. May I come in?"

"Oh… yes, please," Adele stood to the side and let him in the front door. Her mind was reeling. She never expected to hear from "them" again.

He walked to the chair by the fireplace and sat down, waiting expectantly for her to sit on the couch. "I understand this must be quite a surprise. Certain developments regarding our grand-daughter Sookie make it necessary for me to renew our family connection."

"Our…" She sat down hesitantly on the edge of the couch, sitting forward as if she expected she'd need to spring up for some reason.

"Yes. You and Fintan are her grandparents, I am her great grandfather. As patriarch of the Brigant-H'eloise clan, I have certain rights and responsibilities where Sookie is concerned."

"Slow down, please, I'm confused. Where is Fintan now?"

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, my dear, but my son is deceased. While he lived he would not allow me to contact you. Now that he has passed, I want to know you and Sookie. Indeed, it has become essential that I meet her."

"Jason is your great grandson as well," Adele was trying to pull it together. She remembered Fintan warning her that Niall was powerful and conniving. It's why he promised her he would keep the Brigants away from her and their offspring as long as he could.

"Technically, yes, but he has not manifested any true Fae abilities and shows little promise. Sookie, on the other hand, will soon begin to bloom and it is imperative that she understand who she is and what she can do."

"Why now, after all this time."

"She has become engaged to the vampire, has she not?"

"How did you know about that?" Adele felt as if she were being pelted with shockwave after shockwave.

"I've made it my business to keep abreast of the changes in Sookie's life. She's about to get some rather shocking, but very pleasant, news and it will be far less traumatic if she and I are already acquainted. Today is Wednesday. I'll be here for dinner Saturday at 6 pm. You have until then to broach the subject with her in your own way, and then she and I will spend some time talking after dinner. You will serve seafood, please, and be sure she arranges her schedule so she can dine with us. You have my number there – call any time you like. I'm sure you will have questions."

Niall stood up, bowed to her and walked out the door. Gran got up to follow him, but by the time she reached the front door, he was out of sight. Gran couldn't imagine how he could have moved quickly enough to be completely out of the lights – it was as if he had just vanished!

She was a little freaked out, so she locked the door front and back doors, which was a very rare occurrence so early in the evening. She made herself a cup of comfrey tea and sat at the kitchen table absent-mindedly drizzling tea into the cup and thinking none too clearly about how she was going to explain this to Sookie. If you wanted to get technical, Sookie wasn't even a Stackhouse. She was a Brigant or an H'Eloise or whatever, and Adele had known this all along. Sookie's father had been so normal that she never thought she'd have to admit that she'd been unfaithful to her husband.

She puttered around the kitchen, dumping some leftovers from the fridge into the trash as she thought. As enchanted as she had been by Fintan, she never would have been with him if it hadn't been for her desperate desire to have children. She and her husband had tried for years, and she had almost given up hope. When Fintan promised her children, she couldn't say no even if she had wanted to, she reminded herself. She did have to admit that she didn't want to say no, though, because she had been virtually on fire for him even before he proved to her he was Fae.

She tried to calm herself and focus on the situation as she washed the few dishes in the sink. Truth be told, one of the reasons Adele was so accepting of Sookie's relationship with Mr. Northman was that she had always known Sookie would lead a very unusual life. Her ability kept her somewhat isolated from humans as she grew up, and Adele knew if she ever got married, it would be to someone unusual, or magickal in some way. She always wondered if Fae wouldn't seek her out at some point, but when Sookie came home talking of vampires, Adele knew it wouldn't be long before she attached herself to one. She would have been a little more comfortable if Sookie had chosen Mr. Compton, since she knew the family and he lived so close by, but once she met Eric, and had seen them together, Adele knew he was the one.

Adele thought back to Eric's first official visit as she put the dishes away. You could practically feel the electricity between them when they were together. He was rich, charismatic, and Adele had to agree with Sookie – that was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. She just prayed that he wanted Sookie for more than her ability, and that he really loved her, especially since he was sneaking into her bedroom almost every night. She'd never admit to Sookie that she could hear them in the wee hours – that would be untoward – but she knew that Eric was coming through the window after Sookie went to her room. She knew that there had been other gifts from him as well – the expensive bottle of perfume on Sookie's vanity table, the new rubies Sookie was wearing, even the pink teddy bear – so the car hadn't been much of a surprise. That's why Adele finally drew the line. For all intents and purposes, they were engaged, so it was time to stop pretending and be practical.

Now, how was she going to approach the subject of Sookie's lineage? There was no easy way, she realized, so she'd just have to steel herself to it and say it outright. She'd assure her that she loved her husband, but she'd also appeal to Sookie's fondness for vampires to describe how irresistible Fintan had been to her.

Well, since she couldn't talk to Sookie until tomorrow morning, Adele decided to turn in early so she'd be well rested. She needed to be fresh to break news like this to her granddaughter. She just prayed Sookie would understand.

Eric flew into a swampy area near a lake outside Baton Rouge where a small enclave of vampires had been hidden away since Jean Lafitte's pirates scattered when first attacked at Barataria in 1814. The story was that a vampire named Beaulieu escaped to the north and opted not to return for Lafitte's stand with Andrew Jackson against the British. These vamps were clannish in a way that is unusual for vampires and rarely interacted with the American vampire power structure. Most of the time, that was just fine with Sophie Ann – they paid her enough to mind her own business as long as they didn't interfere with that business. Unfortunately, Jean "the reptilian" Beaulieu decided he wasn't afraid of Sophie Ann, even if the rest of his community warned him not to mess with her. There was a handsome profit to be made trafficking in vampire blood, and he didn't content himself with selling what he could produce on his own. He had been associated by inference to the disappearance of three tribute-paying vampires in the area, and Sophie Ann didn't take kindly to having her income reduced by any amount.

Jean was a big, ugly man – about six feet, two and weighing a lumpy 350 pounds. He lived in a little shack with a hidden underwater sarcophagus that was accessed easily behind a chest of drawers rigged to hide the trap door and come back into place as he pulled it shut behind him. He hated humans so much that he only rarely went out to hunt, preferring to subsist on whatever vermin he came upon in the swamp rather than venture out. When he did have to hunt, he took vagrants and beggars and left their remains in the swamp. He didn't have to kill, nor did he enjoy it. He just did it because it was the most convenient way to function. Snatch up someone no one will miss, drop the body in the swamp on the way home, maybe snack on a 'possum or a 'coon for dessert and leave the animal's dead skin hanging on the porch so people think a trapper lives here. A couple of booby traps in and around the cabin made sure that anyone who got curious never made it back out of the swamp. He was mean and filthy so even the other reclusive vamps in the area avoided him.

He was making the rounds checking his traps when he was knocked unconscious. He was hit before he could react to the scent, even with vampire speed. When he came to he was wrapped in silver chains on the floor of his cabin.

"Hello, Jean," Eric spoke from the large rocking chair in the corner of the room. He was covered in black clothing, right down to his black leather gloves, so the only thing really visible about him his face and his hair. Even vampire vision had difficulty distinguishing where he ended and the shadows began.

"Northman? What the fuck do you want?" He growled in a thick Cajun accent, writhing with pain. How the hell did Northman get these chains here?

"How's the V trade going these days, Jean?"

"How the fuck should I know, you weasel."

"I think you're confusing me with your dinner. Honestly, Jean, how do you feed on this carrion?"

"Too few humans in these parts these days. Beaucoup police watching the homeless, now in the cities."

"You wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of Roberts, Canson or Grandville, would you, Jean?"

"Why should I care what happened to them?"

"Because your stench was detected near each of their nests when they came up missing."

"Detected by who?"

"By me. Sophie Ann asked me to check it out when they failed to pay their tribute. You know how prickly she gets when someone misses the monthly tithe."

"The money is in a jar beneath the floor. Take it and get the fuck out of my house."

Eric sat forward, laying his sword across his knees. Where the hell did that come from? "I'm afraid it's not that simple, Jean. If such anti-social behavior were allowed to persist, your neighbors might get the idea that they should join your little enterprise. Marketing V is a very grave offense. Killing your brethren so you can take theirs is a blood offense."

"Get on with it, then."

Eric stood up, swinging his sword a few times just for fun. "You actually got lucky, Jean. If my attention were not otherwise occupied, I'd torture you for a few nights before I execute the Queen's command. As it is, I'll have to cut and run," Eric laughed and swung his sword, beheading the vampire and chopping him in half. He wouldn't bother to clean up the body, so that if his neighbors came looking they'd know he was killed on purpose. A pile of ash here or there was always an effective deterrent to violating vampire law. Everyone would know who killed him, though there would be no real proof. There never was with Eric Northman.

Eric found the jar of money under the floor – and the one in the dusty butter churn - and the bundles of bills in the burlap lining of the sarcophagus. Not terribly creative hiding places for a former pirate, Eric sneered to himself.

Pulling a black zippered silk case out of his pocket, he opened it and quickly picked up the long silver chains with his gloved hand, then buried them in the little case full of "sinkers," as the humans who normally used the lead pellets for fishing called them. Between the lead, the silk, the cotton cloth he wrapped it all in and his clothing, Eric would be able to get the silver back into his safe until he needed it again without suffering too much discomfort.

He reveled in the night air as he made his way back to Fangtasia, filling the bond to Sookie with amusement, love and care. Ahhh – he loved his job as Sheriff. It was the perfect outlet for a warrior with no cause to represent. Just enough bloodshed to keep him from pining for battle, not so much as to interfere with his comfortable routine.

Sookie was loading a tray with drinks when she laughed out loud. Sam and Terry, both behind the bar at the moment, looked at her strangely, and she said "sorry!" and scampered away. Wherever Eric was at the moment, and it wasn't anywhere near Merlotte's, he was having a blast. She smiled knowing he was having a good time and sent affection back to him. She _loved_ this bond! If people only knew how close you could feel to someone, how you could feel what they feel and know that they're loving you back – well, if people knew, they just wouldn't want to marry people anymore.

Eric was in such a good mood later in the night that Sookie felt like her feet weren't touching the ground. It was like she was coasting all night and when Jason and Hoyt came in and she saw Arlene bending his ear about the new Camaro, she just rolled her eyes and decided she was going to let whatever he said roll off her like water off a duck's back. She didn't even panic when he started up toward the bar instead of waiting for her to come near their table.

"Hey, Jason, how are you tonight?" She said in a bouncy, bubbly way that was really pissing Jason off, but he knew he didn't dare yell at her in front of people. He didn't think Eric would really kill him, but that guy came out of nowhere and Jason didn't hear a thing until he had him by the throat. He was still going to speak his mind, though.

"So I hear you're driving a new car?" He settled on a barstool in front of where Sookie was filling pitchers.

"Eric rented it for me because mine broke down."

"When do you give it back to him?"

"When I want to."

"I hear he leased it for three years."

"Yeah, so?"

"So that's no different than buying you a new car."

"Yeah, so?" She was dripping with attitude at this point.

"You don't think it looks a little funny, that guy buying you a car when you just met him?"

"I don't care how it looks." She motioned for him to lean over the bar, so he bent forward. "Don't you dare tell anybody but we're getting engaged…'

"Wha…?"

"SHHHH! Gran insisted, but we want to anyway. It won't look weird if I have an engagement ring, will it?"

"Well…" he thought for a minute. "Gran really wants this?"

"She thinks it's the best solution given the circumstances." OK, that sounded like lawyer talk, but she needed Jason to lighten up and keep his mouth shut.

"I'm going to go by the house tomorrow and talk to her, so you sure that's what she said?" Jason wouldn't put up with Sookie lying to him under any circumstances.

"Yep, I'm sure. Here, take this pitcher back to your table with you and tell Hoyt I'll put in an order for some wings. You want something to eat?"

"Yeah, get me a burger and fries, no mayo."

"Coming right up!" She bounced over to the window and wrote up the order. "Hey, Terry, put two coleslaws with that, OK?"

"Sure thing, hon!"

She waited on a young couple wearing jackets from the local high school and thought how sweet they looked together. She was pretty sure it was their first date based on what they were thinking.

When Terry called the order for Jason and Hoyt, Sookie took it to their table, "OK, guys, the slaw is on me. I want you both to eat some vegetables. Cabbage will keep you from getting cancer."

Hoyt laughed and Jason was dumbfounded.

"That's really sweet of you, Sookie, thanks!" Hoyt said with complete sincerity.

"Why the hell'd she do that?" Jason said as she walked away.

"Well, Jason, when was the last time you ate a vegetable?" Hoyt laughed, salting his fries.

"I don't remember," Jason said as he reached for the ketchup.

"So eat up. That was really nice of your sister. She's just lookin' out for you. That's what good sisters do." Hoyt tore into his buffalo wings – Terry's were the best - lots of vinegar in the hot sauce!

"You're just sayin' that because you never had a sister," Jason sniffed at the little bowl of slaw.

"Right, so I know exactly how lucky you are. You ought to give her a break. Don't you want her to be happy and in love?" The wings were hot, so Hoyt took a big swig of beer.

"Well… yeah…"

"I ain't heard nobody but Arlene say anything bad about her guy, Jason. You saw how protective he is of her when those guys hassled her. I'll bet he told Sam that better never happen again, just like you would if it was your girl."

"Yeah, I guess I wouldn't want anyone to paw at her," Jason mumbled as he bit into his burger.

"She's a good girl, Jason. Always has been." Hoyt shook a French fry at him for emphasis, "I never seen her so happy. She's glowing."

"Yeah, she is," Jason said absent-mindedly, more concerned that he was going to have to do extra sit-ups after eating these fries.

"That old car of hers is a piece of shit – you told me that how many times?" Hoyt finally had a chance to speak his mind, so he took it and ran with it.

"Yeah, it's falling apart. I'm not surprised it broke down on her," Jason said with his mouth full of hamburger.

"Right, so now she's got a safe ride. That's a good thing, Jason."

"Yep, it is. Hey, who's that blonde over behind the pool table?" Jason now had his mind on other things, and forgot all about Sookie's car and her scary, rich man.

Sookie breezed through the rest of the night, and even volunteered to mop the floor so Terry could do some extra cleaning in the walk-in fridge. She was a little nervous when she walked out to the parking lot, but to her happy surprise, Eric was standing there leaning on her car.

"Hey, Sweetie!" She bounced over to him and he picked her up off the ground and gave her a big hug and a kiss. "I thought you couldn't come tonight?"

"I finished my business early and I just had to see my beautiful bonded. So this is the new car? Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding? I love it! I can't believe you did it, though," she was baby talking a bit, beaming at him, and he loved it.

"The more I thought about you being stranded at night with that thing out in the woods, the more I realized you needed to be in a safe vehicle. It was the practical thing to do in order to see that you are safe." He knew that she knew he was bullshitting, but he also knew she'd let him get away with it.

"That's one way to look at it," she laughed and wrapped her arms back around his waist. She felt so good just to be near him!

"Give me your keys, I'll drive you home."

"Oh, goodie!" she gladly handed over the keys and stood back happily as he opened the door for her.

Eric got into the driver's seat with some difficulty. "Hmm – a little tight in here for one my size."

"Yeah, it is, but you probably won't ride in it much, will you?" She definitely didn't want him to buy her a bigger car.

"Probably not. You'll use it when I cannot be with you, which I hope will not be much at all."

"Me, too!" She kissed him on the cheek and he laughed, then threw the car into gear and sped out of the parking lot.

"Well, it's no Corvette, but it handles well," he observed. "I think it can take whatever you dish out," he laughed and she did, too.

"Yeah, I'm not likely to be racing it or anything."

"No, let's hope not."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing, Sweetheart, nothing at all. How was your night? Did you make good tips?"

"About like usual. You know what's really nice, though?" She sat sideways in the seat in spite of the seatbelt.

He smiled at her, "what is that?"

"The new waitress, Kim, was really nice to me. She's all in favor of us and the car and everything."

"She said this?" Eric was surprised anyone would comment either way.

"Yeah, she told me not to let Arlene get to me, because I deserved a nice guy because I'm so sweet."

Eric laughed, "I could not have said it better myself." He held her hand and let her chatter about her night, responding only with a word here or there to show his interest. This girl could read the phone book and he'd be happy to listen to that sweet accent.

"Wow, we're here already! It seems like no time at all when I'm with you."

"I was driving much faster than I'd ever want you to. Vampires have much quicker reflexes."

"Yeah, it's hard to wrap my mind around how much older and stronger and faster you are. You know what surprises me?"

"What is that?" He gave her his full attention as he parked the car in her usual spot beside the house.

"That you can be so gentle, like when we… you know...."

He laughed softly, "yes, that comes with practice. A younger vampire might have the same level of control that I do." He leaned forward and kissed her, "let's go in. I'll meet you at your window."

"OK," she laughed and turned and before she could reach the handle he was opening her door for her. He walked her up the steps and waited for her to get inside before he went up to her room.

Once he was inside, there was no talking. He was trying to hold back the blood lust from his kill earlier in the night, but he was having trouble being quiet. OH, what he would give to be able to let go. He should have taken her somewhere before he brought her home. Damn it! She needed to come live with him now, or else he'd have to find a motel in the area for nights like this, and he didn't think she'd be too thrilled with that arrangement.

Sookie was having trouble being quiet, too, especially when Eric went down on her for the first time. She had been wondering why he had never done it before, but she didn't know how to ask or what he would think if she did. She thought maybe he just wasn't into that, but, man, was she wrong! He was as good at this as he was everything else, at least as far as she could tell. She'd never had it before, of course, but this felt better than she ever imagined. She was already moaning into her pillow when she began to come and as she did, Eric slipped a finger into her back entrance and his thumb into the front, making her convulse in the most amazing way, arching her back and then collapsing backward and bucking upward twice.

Sookie was stunned. How many times was he going to be able to drive her so wild she had no control over herself and leave her feeling like a lump of flesh with no bones? Sex with Eric kept getting better and better. Part of her was overwhelmed but one small, inner voice wanted to know how much "better" there might still be.

Eric was nuzzling her neck when she caught her breath enough to say, "when are you going to take me to Fangtasia?"

Eric laughed softly, "you are not angry with me?" He kissed her cheek, reached into his coat at the foot of the bed and poured some gel on his hand, then took a tissue from the box on her nightstand.

Sookie laughed, "uh, NO, I'm not angry with you. That was so _intense_. I never… do you always…?" Sookie wanted to ask a question, but she couldn't get the words out. Sex was still a new thing to her and as close as she felt to Eric, there were still many questions she was too embarrassed to ask.

"Sookie, you know you can ask me anything you want, yes?" He threw the tissues in her wastebasket and took her in his arms.

"Yeah, I guess, I just…" she snuggled up against him and avoided looking up.

"Listen to me, Sookie," he whispered in her ear, "we are bonded. You never have reason to be embarrassed with me. You can ask me anything, and you can refuse anything you don't like."

"There's nothing I don't like, so far, just sometimes, I don't know… _why_ I like some things."

He kissed her gently. "If it feels good, Sookie, that's all that matters."

"Is it normal to…."

"…to like what I did just then?"

""Yeah, I never really read about _that_ anywhere."

"You just aren't reading material that is explicit enough to include such details."

"So everybody does that?"

"Not everybody, but many people. It is an acquired taste – some like it, some do not."

"It's not weird that I liked it?"

"Not at all. I consider it a great advantage if you enjoy that kind of stimulation."

"Because then there's more we can do?"

"Yes."

That answer satisfied her for the moment and she snuggled into his chest. She didn't realize she was dozing off but soon her breathing slowed and she drifted into a deep sleep as Eric held her. He would give anything to be able to stay with her, listen to her gentle breathing the rest of the night, and be there when she woke up in the morning. When he could wait no longer, he took a note out of his pocket and laid it on her nightstand, then quietly slipped out the window. He quickly buzzed the woods where the creature had been seen, but there wasn't even a fresh scent tonight. He had to fly home very fast and ended up answering email on the laptop in his cache because it was too near daylight to work in his office. He even heard Margaret arrive for work as he slipped away.

"Sookie, Honey?" Gran called up the stairs at 10 AM.

"Yeah, Gran?" Ugh – she was groggy this morning. She looked around and saw the note on her nightstand, which brightened her mood, but she was still tired.

"Don't you have to go in early today?"

"Yeah, I do. Thanks for waking me! I'll be right down."

Adele went back to the kitchen where she had potatoes frying in the skillet and eggs at the ready for it when she finished with them.

Sookie pulled on the same yellow dress she wore the morning before and trudged down the stairs. She sat at the table as Gran put cranberry-grape juice in front of her.

"Thanks, Gran."

"You seem tired, Sookie, are you sure you're getting enough sleep?" Gran knew for a fact that she wasn't sleeping much at all.

"I'm OK, I'll make it up this weekend."

"Alright, just don't let yourself get run down, especially since…" Adele stopped short of saying it.

"Don't worry, Gran, he hardly takes any blood at all. He's so old that he doesn't need much."

"Well, alright then. I'm sure you wouldn't want to give that up."

Sookie was a little taken aback. Was Gran saying she knew the biting was a turn-on?

"Is everything OK, Gran?"

"Yes, everything is fine, I just have something I need to talk to you about, if you're up to it."

"Sure, Gran, what's up?" Sookie expected a lecture of some sort but was completely wrong this time.

"You know, Sweetheart, that you've always been different, and, frankly, I always expected you to marry someone unusual, even before the vampires made their announcement."

"Unusual how?"

"Supernatural."

"You mean, you knew?"

"I knew vaguely about vampires, but I'm talking about other Supernaturals. Have you ever heard of the Fae?"

"Like Morgan Le Faye? Fairies, right?"

"Right. A long time ago, Sookie, I knew a fairy man."

"You did?" This was shocking news. Sookie always suspected there were fairies or something like them, but Gran was saying she knew one!

"Yes. You see, when I was a very young woman, your Grandfather Stackhouse and I wanted very much to have children, but for many years we were not blessed."

"That's so sad – but it worked out OK, right?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, but not the way you think. I was working in the garden one day when suddenly, the most beautiful man I ever saw was standing there watching me. He knew my name and asked questions about me." She continued wistfully, "As much as I loved your grandpa and as long as we were together, I think Fintan asked things that he never knew about me."

"That's kind of like me and Eric…"

"Yes, your relationship with Mr. Northman reminds me very much of my… infatuation with Fintan Brigant."

"Wow – unusual name!"

"Yes, well, a part of it was that I was so taken with him, but there was another, more important aspect to the relationship."

Sookie was concerned. Why was Gran telling her all this now? "What aspect?"

"I was able to have two children with Fintan, Sookie. No one ever knew until now."

"You mean Daddy? And Aunt…"

"Yes, Darlin', your Daddy was half Fae, though he never showed any tendencies of any kind."

"Then I'm …"

"Yes, Sookie, you are a fairy – part fairy, anyway."

Sookie's head was spinning. Is it possible she wasn't even human? And she never knew?

"My grandfather wasn't a Stackhouse – he was a fairy named Fintan Brigant? Is that what you're telling me?" She couldn't quite wrap her mind around it yet.

"Yes, Sookie. I'm so sorry I never told you before, but I didn't think you'd ever need to know."

"But I do – need to know?" She said cautiously

"Yes, Sookie, you do."

"Why? What happened to Fintan?" Sookie knew he was dead. She didn't know how she knew, but she did.

"He passed away, Dear, and his father…"

"HIS FATHER?!"

"Yes, his father is a very important person in the Fae world and he wants to meet you."

Sookie sat back and just stared at Gran. After a minute, she could speak again. "I have a real, live great grandfather, who is a real, live fairy, and he wants to meet me."

"Yes. I'm not sure why, but he says you need to meet him and speak to him."

"How? When?"

"He's coming here for dinner Saturday night at 6 o'clock. You'll need to ask for the night off."

"Today is Thursday," Sookie said out loud, but to herself. "I have to get through Friday, then Saturday day shift if I can trade, then I'll meet… what's his name?"

"Niall Brigant."

"Can Eric be there?"

"I don't know, Sookie. I can call and ask him if you like. He left his phone number and said to call if we have questions."

"So I can talk to him now if I want?"

"Well, yes, you could, but wouldn't you rather wait and meet him face to face?"

"I want him to meet Eric, too."

"He may already know Eric, Dear."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I don't understand how, but he knew about your relationship with Eric. I got the impression that was why he wanted to meet you."

"You don't think he objects, do you? I mean, it's really none of his business, so I don't see why it would concern him."

"He said something about his "rights and responsibilities as the patriarch of the Brigant-H'Eloise clan.""

"Patriarch?"

"Yes, that's what he said."

"So I don't even know him but he has rights and responsibilities - what, about me?"

"I'm not sure, Sweetheart, you'll have to ask him to spell it out for you. I was in such shock from seeing one of them after all these years that I didn't ask for any detail. I don't think I drew breath the entire time he was here."

"All this time, Gran, and you never told me…?"

"It wouldn't have changed anything, Sookie."

"Yeah, it would have! I might not have thought I was the only freak in the world that can do what I do. I might have known there was something special about me instead of something freaky and unnatural. I'd much rather be a Supernatural being than an unnatural freak, Gran! I could have had a grandfather and a great grandfather and who knows what else, instead of just one sleazy brother and one junkie cousin!"

"Sookie, don't you speak about Jason and Hadley that way…"

"Wait a minute – what about Jason? Isn't Niall his great grandpa, too?"

"He is, but he says Jason has shown no Fae abilities."

"So he's only interested in me?"

"At the moment, apparently…"

"And Eric! I don't know if Eric will want to marry a Fae or not!"

"If he loves you, Sookie, it won't matter."

"What if there are rules or prejudices or something?! Were you going to let me get married and have ki…" Sookie stopped. It hit her like a bolt of lightening. If she married Eric, she'd never have kids.

"It wouldn't have been a problem, Sookie, you know that. You did think that through before you got so deeply involved with Mr. Northman, didn't you?"

"Not specifically, no, but it doesn't matter. I love Eric and that won't change." Sookie silently asked herself whom she was trying to convince.

"It's getting late, Sookie. You don't want to be late for work."

"Right – Eric will be here to pick me up at 8 tonight. I'll talk to him about all of this then. He'll know… something. He'll explain what all this means and he'll know the right thing to do."

"Sookie…"

"Gran – just let me think about this, OK? I'll get Sam to give me Saturday night off and I'll talk to Eric and it will all work out but right now, I need to think about it, so let me take my shower and go to work. I'm not angry with you, Gran, but I'm in shock. This is all so much…"

Adele was afraid Sookie was literally going into shock because she was pale and talking fast. She insisted Sookie sit down and eat her breakfast, which she did until she cut into the egg yolk and it made her really sick. She ran as fast as she could and barely made it to the toilet before she threw up.

"Sookie, maybe you'd better call in sick…"

"I don't want to do that right now, Gran, I need to get Saturday off so I need to talk to Sam, and … I don't know, I just know I want to go to work. I need to be busy right now."

"Alright, dear."

Sookie went to her room and got her big pink towel to wrap up in and her comb, plus a packet of special deep conditioner and a fresh razor from her top drawer in the off-white, "shabby chic" bureau next to her closet. The oddest thoughts were flashing through Sookie's mind right now – like she'd never have to live in a room with mismatched furniture again if she didn't want to; she'd want to lose 5 pounds before she became a vampire; and why did people think fairies had wings? – while a part of her felt like it was sitting back watching another person go through the motions of showering and dressing for work. It occurred to her as she robotically drove over the country roads that she felt disconnected from everything and everyone except Eric. He was the only thing that felt real right now.

Gran wasn't the person she thought she was. Not that she blamed her for wanting to have kids, or being attracted to a Supe, but the fact that she never told her about something so fundamental to whom Sookie really was, was disorienting. She tried to remember pictures of Gran when she was a young woman, and to picture what it had been like for her back then. It dawned on Sookie that she must have been very lonely, because the Compton house was the only one anywhere nearby and even then it was only old Mr. Compton living there alone with his mother. What must it have been like watching her kids grow, knowing they were half Fae, wondering if they would ever have any of those qualities or abilities? What was it like for her to raise Sookie, knowing she wasn't entirely human? When Sookie's ability made itself known, she realized, her grandmother let her mom and dad grapple with it without telling them what she knew. How could she do that to the whole family that way?

Sookie made it to Merlotte's on time, and she did her job for the most part, but everyone could tell she had something on her mind. She avoided Arlene all that she could and Kim and Sam ran interference for her when she couldn't. Kim asked her if she was mad at Eric and she told her that everything with Eric was wonderful, she just had a family matter she was worried about, but even that might end up being a good thing. Kim said she'd keep her fingers crossed for Sookie and even gave Sookie her home and cell phone numbers in case Sookie needed a friend to talk to. Sookie gave her a huge hug and thanked her a lot because it was nice just to have someone offer. Kim also covered Sookie's tables so she could sneak into the office and call Eric just before the dinner rush. He wouldn't be awake, but it made her feel good just to hear his voice on the machine and to tell him she couldn't wait to see him because she had something she really, really needed to talk about.

Eric awoke and checked his messages before he opened his door. The first message was from Sookie.

"Hi, Sweetie. I got some really shocking news today and my head is all jumbled up. You're the only thing keeping me a little grounded right now. I can't wait to see you tonight. I really, really need to talk so much and I know you'll talk me through it and make it alright. I love you. 'K, bye!"

Hmm – he concentrated on the bond and felt sadness and turmoil. Well, he would cheer her up tonight, no matter what was going on. He would move heaven and earth to make her happy, so he set his mind to making the rest of this night as lovely as possible so she would have something to counter whatever was upsetting her.

The second message was a shocker.

"Northman, this is Niall Brigant. I'll be at your office in Fangtasia at 8 PM Friday to discuss matters pertaining to your engagement. Your attendance is mandatory."

WTF?! Why was that old freaking fairy calling him, why was he telling when what to do and, most particularly, what the hell could he possibly have to say about his engagement? Eric had the oddest feeling that this had something to do with why Sookie was upset, but he couldn't imagine how the two could possibly be connected. Sookie didn't even know Fae existed, did she? He was trying to remember if they had ever talked about that, but even if they had, what had this to do with Niall, of all people?

He was trying to send Sookie comfort in the bond as he had his car washed and detailed and went to the airport to pick up the special package he had ordered from Sophie Ann's jeweler. Who needed the Yellow Pages when you had a font of information like his lovely Queen, he laughed to himself? He had luckily managed to avoid telling her what he needed the jeweler for, knowing she'd be less than thrilled with this development for a number of reasons. Eric knew of no other Sheriff in the Americas with a blood bond, let alone an engagement to a human. Add in the fact that she not only wanted this particular human for her own purposes, but had her own designs on Eric as her royal consort, and this was going to seriously displease her royal highness.

He was confident that neither her lust for him nor her fear of him would allow her to interfere in any way. She didn't take rejection well, but there was no official offer on the table. It was more of a standing flirtation that everyone knew could put Eric on the throne if he so chose. Sophie Ann would never admit that she wanted Eric enough to show any hurt or embarrassment where he was concerned. She always tried to appear aloof and commanding with him though everyone knew she wanted him desperately. To do so would be weakness and regents who show weakness didn't remain regents long. Politics would force her to be gracious even if she were bitterly disappointed. She would never give Andre absolute confirmation of her preference for Eric, either. He loved her, but not enough to watch her install another man in his place.

Eric never turned his back on Andre in any way, and had regular reports of his movements. It wouldn't surprise him if at some point Andre came after him or sent others to attack, but he would never catch Eric unaware. Andre's retinue was nowhere near as loyal as he believed they were. Nobody expected loyalty from Eric, and they knew they dare not refuse him anything he wanted. Andre was betrayed for the most part by those merely wishing to keep their heads attached to their shoulders. More than one had clearly stated their intention to follow Eric if he ever challenged Andre and/or Sophie Ann, though he wasn't vain enough to imagine that they hadn't made the same promise to them about him.

Eric's last stop was a local caterer who was making up a special picnic for Sookie. Everything was in place, so he headed for Bon Temps a little early, and he could feel Sookie suddenly relax as he started on his way to her house. He was also aware of some other sensation, probably relaxation from a warm shower. He knew she'd wash and dress after work for their special evening together. He was looking forward to tonight even if he had to deal with a little drama of some sort. He had no doubt at all that he'd leave her secure, smiling and sated before the sun rose again.

*The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.  
Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.

~William Shakespeare

_A Midsummer Night's Dream_


	10. Chapter 10

**[A/N: OK, as some have noticed, I've taken some liberties with cannon where the Fae are concerned. It's just easier for me to remember this way, and makes more sense with where I want to take the story. Thanks for bearing with me. Morg]**

**My Heart Is True as Steel***

Sookie stood in front of her closet wrapped in her pink towel, trying to decide what to wear tonight. Her new pink dress was her favorite, but she had worn that to the lake with Eric and she had an idea that's where he would take her tonight. He had seen the red and white floral and that other little summer dress. She realized she needed to go shopping, but she couldn't really afford it… unless she used the credit card Eric gave her. Could she do that? She knew Eric would be thrilled, but would she feel funny about it? It was a Visa, so it would work almost anywhere. There were some dress shops in Monroe that she really liked, so she would ask Eric if he'd mind. She knew he'd say yes, but asking made it feel more "OK." She finally settled on a little denim blue dress with tiny yellow flowers on it. It had an elasticized scoop neck surrounded by stretchy lace, short sleeves and a slightly full, short skirt. It was extra "girly" and she was sure Eric would love it.

Once she was dressed, coiffed and painted with her new Chanel makeup, she went downstairs to wait. She was hoping Eric would be early as he usually was, because waiting was so hard. She was pacing in the living room as Gran sat at the left side of the couch working on her crocheting, watching Law & Order reruns and drinking iced tea.

"Sookie, Honey, you'll wear yourself out!"

"I know, Gran, I just can't wait. I'm going to go sit on the porch and wait for Eric, OK?"

"Alright – maybe sitting in the rocker will absorb some of that energy," Gran laughed. She really didn't blame Sookie for being anxious. There was a big monkey wrench in her plans and Gran was a little anxious to hear Eric's reaction to it, too. She even considered waiting up for Sookie, though that was probably not a good idea. She tried not to think about why Sookie had to wash her dress in the sink last time she went out with Mr. Northman. She told Gran she had ketchup on it, but Gran knew better – she wasn't _that _old yet.

Sookie turned on the porch light and went out front, pacing up and down. She sat in the rocker for a few minutes, noticing how loud the squeaking was when she rocked vigorously for a few minutes, then she'd pace some more. She was sitting again when she heard the roar of Eric's Corvette coming down the lane. YAY! She was at the top of the front steps almost jumping up and down when he drove up, and she ran toward the car before it even stopped. Eric got out and caught her as she ran into his arms, picking her up as they kissed each other hard.

"I'm so glad to see you, Eric, you have no idea!" She giggled as he swung around in a circle with her.

"What did you need to tell me?" He looked amazing in a perfect black Armani suit with a silk shirt as blue as his eyes.

"Can we go wherever we're going first? I want to be alone and snuggled in your arms before we get into it."

"As you wish. I have a gift basket for your grandmother in the trunk. Let's give it to her, and then we'll be on our way."

"Oh, cool!"

"Stand over there." He pointed to the front of the car as he opened his trunk.

"How come?"

"I don't want you to see what else is in here," he wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed, leaning against the driver's door and covering her eyes playfully. The bond between them was singing, even though Sookie had an undercurrent of fear of which Eric was acutely aware. He' d assuage her fears soon, though, so he wasn't worried.

The two of them went up the steps, Eric carrying a beautifully wrapped basket of fruit, meats, cheeses, crackers and a bottle of sparkling cider.

"Mrs. Stackhouse, so nice to see you again! This is for you." He gave her a dazzling smile and handed her the basket.

"Oh, well, that's very kind of you, Mr. Northman." Adele thought to herself that it was hard not to flush in Eric's presence. That was one good-looking man. She didn't blame Sookie a bit for falling in love with him.

"Please, call me Eric. It's just a few small treats I thought you might enjoy."

"That's very kind of you. I hope you won't keep Sookie out too late – she hasn't been getting much sleep lately."

Eric knew exactly what she was telling him. "Yes, well, we won't stay out too long. We'll have lots of time together Sunday and Monday nights."

"Yes, I suppose you will." Gran moved the magazines from one end of the coffee table to the other, then sat the basket on it.

"Well, we should probably be going…" Sookie said hopefully.

"You two go have fun. Drive carefully," Adele and Eric nodded to each other and he escorted Sookie back out to the car.

Once they were on the road, Sookie shifted sideways so she could look at Eric. He was always so much more beautiful than she remembered.

"Your grandmother seemed in a good mood," he smiled at her.

"I guess, all things considered." Sookie was bursting to just tell him now.

"The things you wish to speak to me about?" He sent calm to her through the bond so she'd relax.

"Yeah. Have you ever known somebody for a long, long time then all of a sudden you find out something about them that just totally blows your whole image of them to bits."

"Yes, I've had a few experiences like that in my thousand years," he smiled softly at her. "Who has shocked you, Sweetheart?" He took her hand in his to calm her.

"Gran, of all people. I swear, Eric, it's like I never knew her at all."

"Am I to infer that this is something from very long ago that you only just found out about?"

"Very, very long ago, but it has a direct effect on me, it turns out, and probably on you, too."

"Sookie, you know that I love you, yes?" He looked at her frequently between looking at the road ahead. Once he got out of Bon Temps, he was flying past other cars on the road.

"Yes, I do, and you know I love you. I just hope you still love me when you find out who I really am."

"Whoever else you turn out to be, you are and always will be MY Sookie. Do not be afraid that anything will ever change that."

"I just don't know if there are any rules or prejudices among Supes, though…"

"Among Supes?"

"Yeah. If I tell you something shocking, that I never knew myself until this morning, you won't get us in a wreck, will you? Should I wait 'til we get to the lake?"

"I am not easily shocked, Sookie," he smiled sweetly at her, raising her hand to his lips and kissing it gently.

"OK, you know about the Fae, right?"

SHIT! Eric braced himself for something concerning Niall, trying to send only calm to Sookie. "Yes, I know the Fae. What has that to do with you, Sookie…?" Asking was only a formality. Obviously, this was the source of Sookie's abilities.

"Well, a long, long time ago, my Gran had… an affair, I guess… with a Fairy man."

"And you are part Fae?"

"Yeah, and apparently my great grandfather says he wants to meet me now because I "need" to know him or them or whatever."

"Sookie, is your great grandfather's name Niall Brigant by any chance?"

"YES! How did you know?"

"He left a message for me that he wished to discuss our engagement tomorrow night at 8 o'clock. He's coming to Fangtasia."

"So you already knew?"

"Not exactly, though I did have an intuition that you were upset about something concerning Niall. I just couldn't imagine what it could be. I never imagined he might be a blood relative." No, by the gods, he did NOT imagine that!

"Do you hate me now?"

"No, Sookie," he smiled softly, and a little sadly, "I will always love you. Niall being involved is a complication of sorts, but it's not…"

"A deal breaker?"

"No, Sookie, it's not a "deal breaker." As with many things in life, it has positive as well as negative aspects." He was trying to minimize the importance of this huge revelation so she wouldn't panic.

"OK, he said something about "rights and responsibilities" about me – he can't object to our getting married, can he?"

"He could, but apparently he does not. If he objected, he would simply kill me and be done with it…"

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, yes, Sookie, there is no love lost between vampire and Fae. We have been at war on and off for thousands of years. We have a type of détente at the moment, but if he had decided against me, he wouldn't bother meeting with me. His assassins would have come at me in the daytime if they could find me."

"His ASSASSINS?!"

"He is a Fairy Prince, Sookie – the most powerful Fae that lives at the moment. He has armies, assassins, anything else royalty might need."

"Wow."

"Indeed." He thought to himself that his bonded had a gift for understatement.

"So it's a good thing that he wants to meet you?"

"Yes, Sookie, it's a very good thing. He probably wants to establish some ground rules and make a few demands about your support and security."

"Why?"

"He's the patriarch of your family."

"Gran said that, too. It sounds medieval."

"It's much older than that, Sookie. Humans have lived in patriarchy for 6,000 years or so, and Supes adapted some of those power structures during the Christian invasions and inquisitions. Fae were originally matriarchal, but when they were run underground, they developed armies to defend themselves. Their crown passes through the Queen, which is why Niall is only a Prince and not a King. His wife, Titania H'Eloise, was murdered, so he rules in her stead until her designated heir comes of age or he is bested in battle by opposing forces."

"My great, great grandmother was murdered?"

"Assassinated, actually."

"How?"

"She was poisoned with lemons."

"Lemons?"

"Yes, Fae are sensitive to lemons as vampires are to silver."

"OK. I can drink lemonade, though…"

"Then you did not inherit that weakness. That's a very good thing."

"How will other vampires feel about you marrying a Fae?"

Eric laughed. "I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it, I will be the envy of all who know me."

"You will?"

"Yes. I've told you that you have an unusual taste and scent, yes?"

"Yeah, you said I'm extra sweet."

"You're fairy-flavored, to an extent. Vampires get high from fairy blood as humans do from vampire blood. Yours is a weaker version, so it doesn't drive me mad as pure fairy would, but still, you will be considered quite a delicacy. It's no wonder I became so attracted to you so intensely and couldn't stay away from you."

"So it's not because you love me?" She was beginning to get upset now.

"Sookie, I love you more than anything." He stroked her cheek to calm her. "That is only one small part of the attraction, but it's a powerful one. I love everything about you, though, Sookie, never doubt that."

He hit the turn signal and turned off the road, pulling up to the gate, then kissing her hard as he stopped the car. She was smiling again as he got out to unlock it. When he closed the gate and got back in the car, she said, "we always get here so fast – is this really close to my house or does time just fly when I'm with you?"

"It's a bit of both. This is about half way between Bon Temps and Shreveport." He pulled the car up on the sandbar and there was something already there.

"Hey, what's that?"

"What does it look like?" Eric teased her.

"A table and chairs."

"You sit here for a minute while I set things up." Eric moved at vampire speed, taking things from the trunk quickly, setting a beautiful table with a white cloth, a small candelabra and pink roses, almost faster than the eye could see. Sookie watched in amazement as he set a picnic basket and a bottle of Perrier-Jouët champagne on a small table beside the dining table. He put a small thing like a deck of cards on the table with some cute little speakers and it played soft violin music as he opened her door and led her to her seat.

"Eric, what is all this?" She could barely take it all in. He held her chair for her then went to his own seat across the table.

"This is a romantic dinner. I hope I've got everything you would like. It's more of a picnic, but I didn't think sitting on the ground was a good idea. There may be snakes."

"This is amazing! You've got flowers and candles and… is that champagne?"

"Yes, very good champagne, I'm told."

"It's got flowers painted on the bottle!"

"The caterer told me some couples like to save the bottle from a special occasion like this."

"Special occasion, huh?" She was being flirty now, because this was like a dream.

"Very special," he gave her a smile that she felt right down to her loins. "May I pour you a glass?"

"Yeah, please!" Sookie didn't tell him that she'd never tasted champagne before. She'd had wine, of course, but it was cheap stuff from the Rite-Aid. He filled the crystal flute and as she tasted it, he took the platter from the basket and set it in front of her. She already had a beautiful Christian Dior plate in front of her with a pink rim on it and a pentacle done in some sort of greenery. He sliced the fresh, still slightly warm bread as he was advised to do while she used the serving fork to choose rare lean beef, gruyere cheese (how did he know it was her favorite?) some leafy lettuce, butter and mustard on two slices of the bread.

He watched her with love in his eyes as she took a big bite of the sandwich she made and drank a little champagne.

"Mmm – this is so good! I wish you could taste it."

"I'll be tasting something much finer in just a little while," he wiggled his eyebrows and she giggled. "I want you to enjoy your food first and then we will have our time together."

"I know what you mean but I already count this as our time together. Just being near you makes me feel so good I can't believe it!"

"I was just thinking the same thing about you. So what do you think? Shall we build a small fishing cabin here or a grand glass house?"

"I don't know if we ought to do either. I like your house."

"We'd keep that house, too, of course, but I do dream of lying in bed with you in front of this view."

"OK, how about a small glass house with just a big bedroom, a fireplace, a bathroom and a tiny kitchenette."

"That sounds very nice. I'll have my architect draw up some plans we can look at."

"You have an architect?"

"Yes, I do, which reminds me, for some reason, that the pool is open."

"Really?! " YES!

"Yes, so be sure you bring your bathing suit, and I bought you an iPod for your days in the sun."

"What's an iPod again?"

"It's one of these." He held up the small device. "It holds all kinds of music, so you can have your whole collection in your pocket. Just tell me what you want on it and I'll set it all up for you."

"Cool. I like Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows, Sarah MacLachlan, Stevie Nicks and lots of Sixties hippie and surfer music."

He laughed with delight. "That's easy enough to remember. I'll have it ready for you Sunday night. I'm going to put a little traditional Swedish music in it, too, if you don't mind."

"I'd love that! It will remind me of you when you're resting and I won't be so lonely."

They chatted about nothing in particular until Sookie finished her main course and he presented her with a crystal dish of ambrosia fruit salad. As she was finishing that, Eric refilled her wine glass and suggested, "take a good drink, Sweetheart," and as she did, he walked around the table with a napkin. He spread it out on the ground next to her, knelt on one knee, and Sookie turned toward him, her eyes huge.

Eric took a small box out of his pocket and took Sookie's hand, kissing it a long time as he bowed to her. Sookie couldn't breathe!

"Sookie, my bonded, and my lover, will you do me the honor of also being my wife?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly. He held the box forward and opened it as she caught her breath. It was beautiful. "That's a diamond, right?"

"Yes."

"And rubies?"

"Yes."

"This is probably really rude, but Gran will want to know – how many carats?"

"The diamond is four, the rubies are one each."

Sookie was speechless, so she just grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him as hard and as long as she could.

Eric laughed softly. "Is that a 'yes?'"

"YES!" She kissed him again, then he put the ring on her delicate finger. He snuffed the candles and picked her up so she could wrap her legs around him. Sookie was on fire by this time and so was Eric. Before she knew what was happening, her panties were shreds on the ground and her skirt was up to her waist as she lay on the hood of his car. Eric was inside her as she helped him out of his jacket. The first release was fast and furious, but the second seemed to last for hours. Eric was taking long, luxurious strokes in and out of her as she opened his shirt so she could touch his muscular chest. Now her dress was bunched around her waist, her breasts completely exposed and pressed against him, his hand squeezing her lower cheeks as he took her. The heat pouring from Sookie was unlike anything Eric ever felt, seeming to surround them in a shimmering red cloud, almost sparkling. Eric shook his head – that had to be lightning bugs, right? They weren't in a shower of sparkles?

All the energy Eric had to repress the night before came out now and he howled loudly into the night as Sookie cried out with each thrust. She came with a jerk and hit her head on the hood of the car, making her laugh out loud. Eric laughed and lay across her, nuzzling her neck and taking her a third time as he bit her neck and sucked hard at the blood. It almost seemed as if Sookie's taste had changed – as if it were more fairy than it was before. He decided that was his imagination. He was just more aware of it now that he knew about her ancestry. He felt a definite buzz this time, though, that he didn't remember even from the night before. Something had changed.

Whatever the change, even if it was just Eric's perception of her, it was wonderful. It was warm and sweet and utterly, definitively, intoxicating. She might not be susceptible to his thrall, but she had completely enthralled him. "I would die for you, Sookie."

"Eric! Don't say that!"

He took her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers. "I know I shouldn't say it but I never felt this before and I want you to know. No matter what I say to anyone, at any other time, know this to be true. Keep it in your heart. I'm giving you everything I have in every way. Don't ever forget."

"Eric, I love you, too, but you're scaring me."

"I'm scaring me, too," he laughed hoarsely, "Min Guddina, Sookie, how did I live without you?!" He held her tight and close for a long time and she just melted into him. She was pretty sure she knew exactly how he felt because she was feeling it too. They both had tears leaking as they gradually put themselves back together and got ready to go home. Sookie finished the champagne as Eric cleaned up and packed the remains of the picnic.

Once the trunk was packed up, he tucked her into her seat and got into his, but before he turned on the car they kissed quietly and reverently for a while. Finally, Eric tore himself away, "if I don't take you home now, I'll never be able to let you go. It's everything I can do to keep from carrying you home to my resting place to keep you with me all day!" He laughed at himself, but it made her curious.

"During the day, are you aware of anything?"

"Generally, no. It's as if I am dead. On rare occasions, in an extreme emergency, it might be possible to rouse me, but it would be very difficult and I wouldn't be good for much."

"But would it be possible, if I wanted to, to stay with you all day?"

"In my usual resting place, yes. You'd be comfortable and have air, but you'd be bored."

"Not if I was with you!"

"That is very sweet," he smiled as he started the car, "but there would be nothing to occupy you if you were awake. Except my laptop, of course, but then being with a waking vampire is very dangerous. As romantic as it might sound, you'd be risking your life to be with me as I arose. I might harm you before I came to my senses."

"Could you ever stay in the bedroom with me all day?"

"I could, perhaps, if I were confident it was safe. I could in a vampire hotel."

"Ooh, like if we went to that spa we talked about?"

"Yes, that would be a possibility. They have very good security."

"When can we do that?"

"Well, anytime, really. That could be our honeymoon, or we could go sometime before or after the wedding."

"Wedding! I hadn't even thought about a wedding!"

Eric cracked up. "Isn't that the point of that ring I just put on your finger?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think that far ahead."

"Well, you have plenty of time. Your grandmother insisted on a long engagement, did she not?"

"Yes, she did."

"Before I forget - be sure you wear your ring and your rubies when you meet Niall."

"Why?"

"Fae are very fond of treasure. I'll have to show him that I offer you proper respect by buying you many jewels when we are married."

"Buying jewels shows respect?"

"In their world, yes."

"But we don't live in their world."

"Like it or not, Sookie, you are part of Niall's clan. As your husband, I will have to show him that I am supporting you properly."

"So why is it a big deal now after all these years?"

"You are getting married. He would not interfere with your life while you were single but when matrimony became a possibility, it set the wheels in motion. Remember how I had to present myself to your grandmother?"

"Yeah – it's like that?"

"Only more formal with greater requirements. Your grandmother only wanted love and respect for you. Niall will demand a great deal more. I'll be lucky if I don't have to pay a bride price for you."

"A bride price? You mean like _buying_ me?!"

"Exactly. In some cultures, the bride's family pays the groom, but I'm quite sure a vampire marrying Fae royalty is going to mean I pay Niall. Even if that were not their tradition, he'd make an exception for me and his heir."

"That's so unfair! You'll refuse, of course?"

"Of course not! I would not dare! He could still have me killed rather than allow us to marry. If he's not satisfied with what he sees after, he might kill me still."

"This is so awful, Eric! Are you sure you want to marry me?"

"I want that more than anything, Sookie," he smiled softly at her to reassure her. He considered not telling her these details, but he knew it would be best to explain things clearly so she'd know what to expect.

"Yeah, it's better if I know up front," Sookie was looking out the window, and didn't realize that Eric hadn't spoken out loud.

Eric was shocked, but he didn't confront her about it. Did her telepathy extend to vampires now? Or only to him?

He needed to think about this. If Sookie could read vampire minds, she would be in grave danger. She would also be a great asset, though, provided he could keep her ability secret and keep her safe. He decided he would wait and see if it happened again. Maybe she simply knew what he would be thinking as a logical extension of their conversation?

They followed their usual routine of Eric coming through Sookie's window and staying until near dawn. She fell asleep a bit early and he left earlier this night because he needed to prepare for his meeting with Niall. As much as he loved Sookie, he dreaded dealing with Niall. He was ruthless and tricky like any Fae, and Eric hadn't fully briefed her on how sneaky and underhanded they might be, or how unusual their motivations. He thought that he had lain a foundation tonight, and he would add more to her knowledge of them tomorrow. He would most certainly want to see her and tell her about their meeting. His mind was churning when sleep finally took him.

Sookie got to sleep in this day, and woke up before Gran even had to wake her. There was a scent of pork chops and eggs, even though it was almost noon, when Sookie came down the stairs.

"Hey, Gran. You makin' breakfast this late?" Sookie sat at her usual spot.

"I thought you needed a good start today since you didn't eat much yesterday," Gran smiled as she put a basket of biscuits on the table.

"I ate with Eric last night. You should have seen it, Gran!" Sookie was bubbling as Gran put plates and silverware on the table. "Remember I told you Eric has this romantic spot by a lake? Well, he had a table and chairs out there and a wonderful picnic basket and champagne and tablecloths and candles and flowers…"

"Lord almighty, child, take a breath!" Gran teased her as she filled her plate. She was becoming more comfortable with the idea of Sookie being in love and she was pretty sure Sookie was about to show her a nice engagement ring. She had no idea.

"It was so romantic, Gran. He got down on one knee and kissed my hand and asked me to marry him. It was like something from a movie!"

"He's good at that," Gran had to agree.

"Yeah, he really is. Oh, I forgot – here's the ring."

Adele felt faint. "Oh my god, Sookie, is that real?"

"Yeah, why? Isn't it a good one?"

"It's lovely, honey, but isn't it a little… big?"

"You know I don't know anything about diamonds, Gran. Does it look gaudy?"

"No, it's very pretty, I'm just surprised he would spend so much money. It must have cost a great deal of money, Sookie. I know he's wealthy, but my lord!"

"He kind of always does that, though, right?"

"Yes, he does. I did insist that he buy one. I should have given him a limit as to the size of it."

"Do you hate it?"

"It's beautiful, Sookie, I just hope you're going to be safe walking around with that on your hand. Maybe you shouldn't wear it to Merlotte's?"

"Gran, I can't take off his ring!"

"Well, we'll think about it. I know you want to show it off, so wear it tonight and after you've seen everyone's reaction, you can decide if you think it's appropriate for work or not. Remember, you wouldn't want to lose the stones while you work!" Gran didn't say that she was more worried about someone killing Sookie to take that ring. She didn't know how many thousands of dollars it was worth, but she was sure 'thousands' was the right unit of measure.

"I'll just avoid things like washing glasses so it's less likely to get damaged. Most people will think it's a cubic zirconia, anyway, right?"

"That's true – most of them will think it's one of those Diamonique things from QVC," Gran said hopefully, but she doubted it.

"I'm going to mow the lawn today before I get in the shower. Is there anything else I need to do?"

"Carry the laundry downstairs for me, please, and dust the living room?"

"Sure, Gran, no problem." Sookie paid attention to her breakfast for the first time. "Is it OK if I don't eat these eggs, Gran? I'm sorry you went to the trouble and I hate to waste them, but my stomach can't stand the look of them."

"I hope you're not coming down with something, Sookie. This is two mornings in a row you've been nauseous."

"I know – it's not like me, is it? Suppose there's flu going around?"

"That's always a possibility. I think you just need more sleep. I want you to promise me you'll sleep in all weekend."

"Oh, I will, Gran. I forgot to tell you – Sam gave me time off because I seemed so upset yesterday. He told me to take Saturday off so I could do whatever family thing I have to do and then he said I might as well take Sunday, too. Kim told me she asked for more hours, so it all worked out. After dinner with Niall, I'll probably go to Eric's house."

"Well, let's see how the evening goes. You did tell Mr. Northman about this, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I told him on the way to the lake so he knew the whole deal before he gave me the ring."

"He wasn't shocked?"

"No, apparently Niall called and scheduled an appointment to talk about our engagement before he ever saw me."

"Why would he do that?"

"Eric says he has to approve because he's the patriarch of the clan. It all sounds medieval to me, but Eric understands it and doesn't seem to have a problem with it." She didn't want to worry Gran by telling her that Niall might try to have Eric killed, or that Eric might have to spend more money because of Sookie. She figured if Niall cared about her at all, he wouldn't hurt Eric, anyway, because she'd die without him.

Sookie went out to mow the lawn and she hoped Gran didn't notice that she had to get off the mower twice to throw up. She was starting to think she really must have the flu, but she had no time to get sick. She had to deal with Niall tomorrow, and she was going to spend the weekend with Eric, and the pool was open! No way she was getting sick right now!

Eric must have awakened early because Sookie could feel him as she drove to work at the edge of dark. She could feel that he was apprehensive about meeting Niall, so she sent calm and love to him and she knew he could feel it. She kept a part of her focused on Eric as she went through taking over for the girl on the early shift and she didn't mention her ring to anyone. She just did her thing and they were all too busy to pay much attention to each other. Kim thanked her for the extra hours and Sookie thanked her profusely for taking them.

It was 8 on a Friday night, so Merlotte's was jumping by the time Sookie felt the shift in the bond. She never felt such intensity before and it made her a little dizzy. It wasn't anger, exactly and it wasn't hate, but it was big and it was dangerous. Eric was ready for a fight and Sookie knew it. With feelings like that, she was glad he was on her side. Damn!

She was dying to know what was going on at Fangtasia especially at 8:16 when she felt a shock ripple through the bond –confusion, fear, disbelief, melting into love and happiness and determination. Whatever was happening, she could feel that it was for the good and that let her relax a little. The rest of the night Eric sent love and actually seemed to be gloating about something so Sookie's shift was uneventful until 10:23. Sookie had just looked at the clock and was filling pitchers of beer when Arlene yelled, "holy shit, Sookie, is that real?!"

Fuck.

"Is what real, Arlene?" Sookie concentrated on the beer flowing out of the tap.

"You know damned well I'm talking about that huge rock on your hand!"

"Yeah, well, I got engaged, OK?"

"So it is?! REAL?!"

"Yes, it's real, Arlene," Sookie said in a tone meant to shush her, "you don't have to tell the whole county!"

"What's real?" Kim asked as she walked over to the taps behind the bar.

"That big honkin' diamond Sookie is wearing!" You'd think she was the town crier or something.

"Diamond!? Sookie, did you and Eric get engaged?!" Kim was thrilled for her.

"Yeah, we did. It'll probably be a long engagement, but, yeah, we're official." Sookie was beaming and bragging a little now that the cat was out of the bag.

"Ooh, let me see!" Kim was jumping up and down, she was so happy for her, "oh, it's so gorgeous! Oh, it's wonderful!" She hugged Sookie and kissed her on the cheek, which really took Sookie pleasantly by surprise.

"Why are you girls all bunched up at the bar? Are your tables covered?" Sam said as he came from the back, oblivious to what they were talking about.

"Yeah, not a lot of room back here with that big diamond and all," Arlene sneered, so green with envy she could spit.

"Diamond?" Sam asked, dreading the response.

"Sookie got engaged! Isn't that wonderful?" Kim apparently had no clue about Sam's crush on Sookie.

"Yeah, that's great," Sam wasn't able to hide his disappointment no matter how hard he tried. "So let's see the ring, Sookie?" He was going to try to be a good sport.

Sookie held her hand up to him and his eyes bugged out.

"Tell you what, Sookie, stop by my office if you hit a lull at some point tonight, alright?"

"Sure, Sam – it should slow down a bit after midnight."

"Alright, I'll be in the back," Sam went to the office. How was he going to do this without looking like a miserable, jealous shit? He turned on his computer so he could make sure of what he was thinking before he talked to Sookie.

Eric was early getting to Fangtasia, his hair still wet, straightening his red silk collar crumpled up in his leather blazer as he approached the back door. It was so early he had to use his key to get in. He needed to look as if he belonged at Fangtasia, but he wanted to dress up for Niall a bit, too. This was a big deal, and he needed to show that he knew that. He was primping in front of the mirror in his office when Pam came in.

"Master, did I understand your message? You're meeting with a fairy?"

"Not just A fairy, Pam, THE fucking fairy. Niall Brigant will be here at 8."

"That's awfully brave of him. Why would he come here?"

"To show me he's not afraid of me, nor of vampires in general."

"This has something to do with Sookie Stackhouse, I presume?"

"Sookie and I are engaged and it turns out that Niall is her great grandfather."

Pam howled with laughter. "Did you know this before you became bonded?"

"No, I found out about this yesterday, just after she did."

"Neither of you knew?"

"We did not."

"So you are bonded to a fairy?" Pam was enjoying this entirely too much for Eric's liking.

"She's only part Fae," Eric said indignantly.

"That explains that yummy scent of hers," Pam was close to jumping up and down with glee.

"So it would seem," OK, Eric was starting to get steamed. Pam knew she'd better leave him alone now.

"I'll just go check the front door – though I doubt Niall Brigant will come in the front of a vampire club," Pam said as she left, laughing all the way down the hall.

Eric went back to primping, adding some cologne from his bottom desk drawer and trying to look over his email as he waited. He quickly realized that he wasn't going to accomplish anything so he leaned back in his chair and focused on the pleasant feelings flowing to him from Sookie. He let them wash over him and felt a bit calmer until he heard the knock at the door.

He was up instantly, opening the door and finding himself face to face with Niall, who was also dressed up for the occasion in an old fashioned black suit with a long jacket and silver vest. His long silver hair was glowing and the ubiquitous silver topped cane was with him, so Eric stood back, knowing it was a weapon of some sort. "Niall, come in, please," Eric was being very formal.

"Northman," Niall nodded, "so glad you could meet with me."

"My pleasure, Niall." He nodded as Niall passed him and took the chair in front of his desk. Eric sat in his own chair behind the desk and leaned forward. "What can I do for you?"

"Your engagement to Sookie is official as of last night, yes?" He looked very pleased with himself, which irritated Eric to no end.

"Yes, I gave her an engagement ring and we have been bonded for nearly a week."

"Until I hear otherwise from her, I'll assume she is happy about the arrangement. Should she ever become unhappy, that will be a different matter."

"Yes, I understand that." 'OK,' Eric thought, 'he threatened my life right up front so that's out of the way now.'

"Does Sookie remind you of anyone, vampire?"

Eric tried to suppress a little panic. "Remind me?"

"Yes, someone from your past, perhaps? Someone you might call '_Divine_?'"

"What do you know of this?" Eric was shocked. He knew without a doubt that Niall was aware of more than anyone else except himself and he wanted to know how. She wouldn't…?

"Patience, vampire. She has gone to a great deal of trouble for you, and so, for that matter, have I."

"What exactly have you done for me, Niall?" Eric didn't like the sound of that.

"I want you to brace yourself for a shock. At first, you will not believe what I am about to tell you, but I assure you, it is true."

"Alright…" Here we go! Eric sat up straight in his chair and braced himself for some kind of Fae bullshit.

"You are going to be a father – Sookie is with child." The smugness with which Niall spoke would make Eric homicidal under normal circumstances.

Eric shook his head. He couldn't be saying what he thought he said.

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that, by Freyja's command and instruction, I have made it possible for Sookie to bear your child. You are going to have a son."

Eric was frozen. His head was swirling for a second, then he saw a clear vision of a young King who looked very much like him, and he knew it was true. A SON! After all these years…

"Does she know?" He was jumping out of his skin now. If this was true…!

"Not yet. I'm telling you now so that when she breaks the news to you, you won't kill her for cheating on you. Have no doubt, Northman, you are the child's father."

"Freyja did this?" Could a vampire have an out of body experience? Eric felt as if he was floating above himself. What the hell…?

"Apparently you are much favored by the Goddess. Only She knows why," he said with some distaste. "You knew that Sookie was intended for you, did you not?"

"Yes, I did." Eric had known almost from the moment he saw her.

"This is a part of the package. You will be the only walking vampire with a child."

"Will he be vampire?"

"A hybrid of sorts. We're not sure exactly how it will work out, but he will be some mixture of vampire and Fae. He will look like you, though, we've taken pains to see to that. You are acquainted with Dr. Ludwig, I presume?"

"Yes, of course."

"She will attend the birth. As soon as Sookie tells you of her condition, introduce her to the doctor and she will see to all of her needs."

"I can't tell her?"

"It would be better to let her come to you. The farther along she is when she realizes she is pregnant, the better."

"But she needs special care…?"

"She will, yes, but it's very early. After all, you've only known each other a week or so. It happened very quickly, much more so than I expected. Either she was very fertile or you were, in your own way. The Fae half of you, I suppose. It only took a little magick."

"The FAE half of ME?"

"Yes, your mother, Erin – you knew she was Sidhe."

Eric cast his mind back and remembered that, yes, there were rumors that his mother was a fairy, but he hadn't thought of that in hundreds of years. Niall was telling him it was true. He'd have to think about that later, though, because he needed to focus on Sookie right now.

"Sookie really has no idea?"

"The only sign so far has been a bit of morning sickness. She and her grandmother think it's a human influenza of some sort. It will occur to her gradually, though at first she'll think it impossible."

"How long until…"

"Until he is born? We aren't sure. Humans require 9 months, Fae 5 and a half to 6. Then, of course, there is the healing power of vampire blood. At any rate, this kind of detail should come from Ludwig. She knows all of the particulars. I'd meet with her very soon, if I were you, and work together to see that Sookie receives proper care."

"Will it harm anything if I tell her? I don't like the idea of keeping a secret from her, especially something this important."

"That's admirable," Niall said condescendingly. "Talk to Ludwig first. Just see that my granddaughter is not upset. There is more at stake here than your ego or your happiness. That child is sacred to the Goddess, and has a destiny he must fulfill." and with that, he was gone.

Eric was stunned. A FATHER! He flipped through his Rolodex and called Dr. Ludwig.

"Northman?"

"Yes, doctor, you were expecting my call?"

"Yes, Niall warned me you would be in touch. Would you like to do this face to face?"

"Yes, if possible."

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm in my office at Fangtasia."

"Alright."

*POP

The little doctor appeared before his desk, already seated where Niall had been. She nodded and he returned it.

"Doctor. You know the situation?"

"Yes, I do. I assume you'll want to put me on retainer at least until the child is born."

"And for some time after, I should think. Why do you think it best that I not tell Sookie?"

"In case it doesn't take."

"What do you mean?"

"It's very early. If she were to miscarry at this stage, she might never know what she had lost and we'd simply try again. She's less likely to be hurt by it."

"How long should I wait?"

"Until she misses her period, which might take five or six weeks."

"I don't know if I can keep it from her that long…" he was quite sure he couldn't.

"Well, take it one day at a time. Don't lie to her, of course, but just don't bring it up unless she starts to think that she is ill. At that point, she could take one of those little pregnancy tests to confirm."

"Is it safe for us to have sex?"

"Yes, it's good for her, and it's safe for you to exchange blood. It would be good if she'd drink from you regularly. It will help the growth of the baby."

"I know nothing about babies…"

"Use your computer and learn about them. No one knows anything about this type of baby. It may be the first of its kind."

"What do you mean?"

"I can find no record of a vampire/Fae hybrid, though Freyja assures us this will work."

Eric smiled. His son would be unique.

"She's given you a great gift, Northman. Take good care of that little girl. Keep her off her feet all you can, too."

"That might present a problem. She's a bar maid."

"No, no, that won't do. Do whatever you have to do to get her to quit. She's going to be tired as it is. This baby will draw a lot of energy from her. She'll need her rest."

"What if she does not want to have a baby?" It finally dawned on Eric that no one had consulted Sookie.

"She wants it, especially because it's yours. Have faith in her, and in yourself. Niall assures me her maternal instincts will be strong. She may figure it out before we expect her to. As soon as she knows, give her my number."

"Yes, of course, Dr."

"Alright, call me if you need me." She left as abruptly as Niall had.

Eric was getting a little tired of people popping in and out of his office. He needed to think and that wasn't going to happen with that music thumping through the walls. He went to the front of the club, made a sweep through the room to speak to anyone important who might be there, then told Pam he was leaving for the night. He drove home at top speed and put his car in the garage, then spent a couple of hours on the Internet.

All this information about babies and parenting was making his head spin – there was so much to learn! Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore so he took to the sky to clear his head and get some perspective. He hadn't planned on it, but he found himself in the parking lot outside of Merlotte's. He needed to talk to Sookie more than anything. Did he want to bother Sookie at work again? He berated himself for even stopping to think about how it would affect her job. Better she quit this ridiculous job anyway. That diamond on her finger would pay for five roadhouses like this, so the idea of her serving drinks here was absurd.

Sookie caught a slow spell and went back to Sam's office.

"Knock, knock," she peeked in the door.

"Come on in, Sookie."

"What's up, Sam?"

"Well, Sookie, I don't know how to tell you this without coming off like a dick, so I'm just going to say it. I don't want you to wear that ring in this bar."

"What? Why?"

"It's nothing against Eric, Cher, but that ring is worth more than this bar and everything in it. If it were lost or stolen, my insurance would never cover it."

"It couldn't be that expensive."

"Yes, I'm afraid it could be. I looked some stuff up on my computer and I'm pretty sure that ring is worth a quarter of a million dollars, at least. Depending on the quality of the diamond, it could be a lot more than that."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah, that's what – a 3 carat?"

"4, actually…"

"And then with the genuine rubies?"

"Yeah, they're one carat each."

"I want you to work here as long as you want to, Sookie, but I just can't have you wearing that ring in here. What if we were robbed? Or somebody follows you home to take it from you? It's just not safe. I think if you talk to Eric about it, he'll agree with me."

Sookie stopped and focused for a second, then said, "well, I guess I'll just ask him because he's here."

"Go on out and talk to him. Tell the other girls you're on break."

"Thanks, Sam."

Sookie bopped out to the front, yelled "hey, Kim, I'm on break!" then ran out the front door of the bar. Eric was standing in the parking lot, not knowing what to do when she came out.

"Hey, Sweetie!" She bounced up to him and kissed him.

"Hey. Are you having a good night? How do you feel?" He wrapped his arms around her and looked at her as if he had never seen her before.

"I'm fine. I just had a weird talk with Sam, though." They were sort of swaying together a bit, playfully holding each other. Eric felt as if all was right with the world the minute he touched her.

"What did he say?"

"He doesn't want me to wear my engagement ring in the bar."

"Why not?" Eric knew exactly why not.

"He says if we got robbed or it was lost or stolen, his insurance wouldn't cover it and he's afraid someone might follow me home to rob me."

"Yes, he is right."

"Huh? You mean you agree with him?"

"Yes, the ring is worth more than the entire bar, and you are in danger of someone trying to take it from you."

"Wouldn't that be a problem at Fangtasia, too, though?"

"No, I'd be at Fangtasia with you. You'd be in no danger there."

"I don't want to take off your ring, though!"

"Then don't."

"But then I'd have to quit my job."

"Then do. Please?" Eric was actually pleading a little.

"Eric? I thought you were OK with me working here?"

"Not "OK," really, just tolerant while I must be. I think it is too strenuous for you. I'd prefer you save your energy for me," he wiggled his eyebrows and was trying to act as if he was joking but Sookie knew he was completely serious.

"You really want to support me and Gran?"

"Yes, I do, and I don't want you to demean yourself by working here. Honestly, Sookie, it is beneath you now."

"Beneath me?"

"Yes, you have moved up in the world. You are wealthy now."

"I am?"

"You are."

"I can't wrap my mind around that, but since we're talking about money, would it be OK if I used that VISA card to buy a few dresses."

"Yes, of course, Sookie, buy anything you want."

"OK, I'm going to try to buy something new tomorrow before Niall comes to dinner. I don't have to work at all tomorrow."

"You don't?"

"No, or Sunday either. If you come to my house tomorrow night, I might go back home with you after Niall leaves, if that's OK."

"That would be wonderful! You could have more time to swim." He nuzzled her ear and made her giggle. As they were laughing and kissing, Jason, Hoyt and Catfish arrived.

"I'd tell you to get a room if that wasn't my sister," Jason said with disgust.

"Oh, Jason, we're official now. See?" She held her ring out to him and took wicked pleasure in watching him nearly swallow his tongue.

"Damn, Sookie, that's nice!" Hoyt said, "congratulations!" He offered Eric his hand and Eric shook it.

Jason was afraid to get near Eric, but after Catfish shook his hand, he didn't really have a choice but to do the same. He shook Eric's hand grudgingly then continued into the bar with his friends. Sam Merlotte was just inside as they came in and asked them if Sookie was still out there. Jason said yes, so Sam went on out.

"Hello, Eric."

"Merlotte. How are you this evening?"

Sam knew Eric didn't give a damn how he was but was putting on a show of civility for Sookie. "I just brought Sookie's wallet and keys. I think you ought to go on home tonight, Cher, and enjoy your days off. You and Eric talk about whether you really want to keep working here. I told you, I'm happy to have you as long as you want to stay, and you're always free to come back any time, but I think you've already moved on."

"I could not agree more," Eric said smugly.

"OK, Sam, thanks. I'll see you… Tuesday night, I guess?"

"I'm going to put someone else on the schedule. If you decide you still want to come back Tuesday, call me Monday night. I really don't expect you back, though. You all have a good night." Sam nodded and went back into the bar.

"Did I just get fired?"

"No, he simply acknowledged that you are moving up in the world and your time here is wasted."

"What's going on, Eric? You feel so… _determined_."

"Let me drive you home and we will talk, alright?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Now Sookie's head was spinning. This was all happening so fast!

Eric tucked her into the passenger seat of her Camaro, and they were quickly on their way to Sookie's house. They didn't talk much on the way home. Eric put a Counting Crows CD in the player and adjusted the volume so it was soft and soothing. Sookie laid her head on his shoulder and just enjoyed being close to him as they covered the dark roads home.

*"My heart Is true as steel."

_A Midsummer Night's Dream _

Act ii. Scene. 1.

William Shakespeare


	11. Chapter 11

[A/N: ACK! Long chapter and long Author's Note. Sorry!

Some people are wondering how this story associates to LATE, so I wanted to clarify that. This is an AU for LATE and will combine things from it, the show and the books. It's still my Eric and my Sookie, but they haven't been through any trauma together yet, and Eric got to Sookie first. Because they were so close so early in the relationship, Eric saw Freyja in her long before he did in LATE.

This Sookie is lacking 3 years or so of trauma, anger and guilt. She has never killed anyone or seen anyone killed. This Eric is much more secure because she never fought against him or rejected the bond, and Bill was only relevant very early on, though he'll still be around later in the story. Eric doesn't have that deep resentment of Bill and Niall doesn't want to kill Bill. E & S both get to experience the rush of a new relationship, which they didn't get because of Bill's actions and Sookie's subsequent resistance to Eric. There will be no Quinn and not much Sam, I'm sorry to say, because I like Sam – just not with Sookie. They might invite him to the wedding – I'm not sure yet.

This baby IS Alex, but he will progress differently because there's no rush. Sookie is 3 years late in LATE, so Alex has to grow up fast. This Alex gets to have a great grandma who's going to love him like nobody else possibly could. Don't worry, though, it's still the Baby E you all know.

Next update will take a while – I have to work on LATE for a bit. Thanks! M.]

**An Ounce of Blood**

"Sookie, is there someplace in the area where we could go to talk? So that we don't disturb your grandmother?"

"Gran will be in bed. Can't we just talk in my room?"

"No, I'm afraid we need more privacy than that will afford…"

"You want to go to a diner? Or out to the lake?"

"The lake might be our best bet, though it's very late. Is there a motel in the area?"

"What – to have sex?" She wasn't too crazy about that idea.

"No, I have considered that, but that's not the goal tonight. I have to talk to you about something important."

"Eric, what's wrong?"

"It's not that there is anything wrong…"

"Is this about Niall? What did he say to you?"

"We shouldn't do this while we're driving."

"OK, there's a root beer stand out by the highway toward Monroe. We can sit in the car – will that work?"

"I suppose that would work. At least you could eat."

"Good idea, because I'm starved. I haven't been able to keep anything down all day and the food at Merlotte's was grossing me out so I didn't even try to have dinner. I think I'm coming down with the flu. Make a right turn here."

"Alright."

"Maybe we should go to Wal-Mart? I should probably get some medicine for this flu."

"That would not be advisable."

"Why not? Take the next left up here."

"You do not have the flu, Sookie."

"Really?" she laughed. "Do vampires know about human illnesses?"

"Some, of course, but you are not ill."

"Then why am I throwing up every morning?"

Eric didn't say anything, but he sped up as they turned onto the highway.

"Did Niall tell you I'm dying or something?" Sookie was only half-kidding.

"No, Sweetheart, the news is actually very good. It's just that I was advised not to tell you about it. I've been thinking of it all evening, though, and I've decided it would be wrong to keep such news from my bonded. It would not only be disrespectful, I think you need to know so you can take precautions."

"What kind of precautions?"

"Watching your diet. Staying off your feet. Not taking medicines or ingesting harmful substances."

"Eric, what's gotten into you? You're acting like I'm pregnant or something."

"Yes, I am." Eric looked at her, then back to the road, several times trying to judge her reaction. "Which exit am I looking for?"

"It's the next one after this. What do you mean "yes, you are?""

"I mean that, yes, I am acting as if you are pregnant."

"Eric, that would be crazy – you're a vampire, you can't…"

"What if I could?" He was still trying to watch the road and her reaction at the same time.

"Eric, I've been thinking about that and even though I did always picture myself having kids, if I have to give that up to be with you, then so be it. I love you. Nothing is going to change that."

"What if you didn't have to give it up?"

"That would be a dream come true, but I know it's never going to happen…"

"What if it did?" He was really driving fast.

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Sookie, do you understand that Fae can work magick?"

"I never thought about it, but I guess I knew they were, like, magickal beings or something. Is that what you mean?"

"Niall is a very powerful magician, Sookie."

"You mean he can cast spells and stuff? See that light up there? That's the turn off. It's down there to the right, across from the gas station."

"I see it."

"I'm glad we came out here – they have a fried chicken basket I used to love and I want extra fries with lots of ketchup."

"Are those healthy foods?" He hit the turn signal at the bottom of the ramp, and got into the lane toward the restaurant.

"Well, not the healthiest you can get, but for this place, it's about the best I'd be able to do."

"Alright" They pulled into the brightly lit parking lot, which actually had quite a few cars along the rows because it was Friday night. Eric parked as far from the other cars as he could so they were toward the back of the lot which opened into an area of undeveloped land. Two waitresses were buzzing around on roller skates delivering orders and most of the cars had young couples or groups of teenagers in them.

Sookie unbuckled her seat belt and leaned forward to look at the menu outside Eric's window. "Hey, Sweetie, they've got True Blood here!"

"So I see. That's very surprising," he said as he undid his belt, too.

A cute little girl with an auburn ponytail and a nametag that said "Tammy" skated up to Eric's window. "Hi! What'll y'all have tonight?"

"Can we get a chicken basket…?" he said hesitantly, looking at Sookie who nodded that was right, "an order of fries and a True Blood?"

"What type?"

"O negative, please."

"You want anything to drink, Miss?"

"Yeah, I want one of those grape freezey things and bring lots of ketchup, please?"

"Okie doke – be back soon!"

"I wonder if they get a lot of vamps here? She didn't even blink when you ordered your True Blood." Sookie sat sideways in her seat, her back toward the door, looking at Eric.

"This is very near the highway. Maybe they get a lot of through-traffic?" Eric speculated.

"OK, now, talk to me. You said there's good news, but you were told not to tell me, but you think you need to tell me anyway?"

"Exactly."

"OK, so tell me."

"You are pregnant." He looked right at her, unblinking, and waited.

Sookie just stared at him for a minute, speechless. "Eric, that's not funny!"

"No, it is not, but it IS true."

"Wait a minute… vamps can't…"

"Fae magick."

Sookie shook her head, trying to clear it. "Are you telling me, that my great grandfather, who I never even met, did magick to make me get pregnant?"

"Yes."

"That's insane…"

"Fae are very different from humans, Sookie. They have values and motivations that are beyond understanding."

"So you have no idea why he would do this?"

"I know why he did it, but…" Shit! How was he going to explain _this_?!

"But...?"

"Remember when I asked you to wait until I was ready to tell you about that relationship in my past?"

"This is about that?"

"In a way, yes."

"Eric, I love you, but if what you're telling me is true, just suck it up and tell me the whole thing. Nothing you're going to say is going to be weirder than the idea of getting knocked up by a vampire because of fairy magick."

"You are taking this very well…" he half expected her to flip out on him.

"I'm in shock. I'll fall apart once I have the whole story." She literally didn't know whether to laugh or cry and he knew it. She was sort of panting, and he encouraged her to breathe slowly and deeply.

Eric wasn't sure what he was feeling in the bond, but a large part of it was determination, so he knew she would not back down.

"Among Supernatural beings…"

"Yes…?"

"… at the top of the theoretical food chain…"

"Yes…?"

"…there are gods and Goddesses."

"You're shitting me?"

"Sookie – such coarse language is not becoming…"

"Don't change the subject. You're telling me all the gods and Goddesses are real?"

"Not all of them, but some, though many have passed away."

"Passed away? Like, died?"

"Given up their existence because people stopped believing in them."

"Uh-huh."

"Many, many years ago, after my first bonded mate had died…"

"What did she die of?"

"The Black Plague."

"Eww."

"Yes, well, after I lost her, I was wild with grief for forty or fifty years. At one point, I made up my mind to die in war. I threw myself into a group of swordsmen, let them hack at me and I planned to lie there until the sun came up and die."

"Eric! I'm so glad you didn't!" She was more concerned about him than herself now and she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him.

He took her hands in his and looked her right in the eyes. "Yes, but I would have if it had not been for Freyja."

"Freyja?" She leaned back a bit. "She's a Norse Goddess, right?"

"Right. She and her Valkyries spirited me from the battlefield and put me in a dark room in her home, Sessrúmnir, in Folkvangr."

"That's where She lives?"

"Yes, and when I was recovered, we…"

Sookie leaned forward expectantly, waiting for him to spit it out.

"…became lovers."

"You fucked a Goddess?"

"Many times," he stated plainly, "many, many times." He wasn't bragging, just trying to be accurate.

"Huh. So what happened?" Sookie was just letting this all wash over her because there was no way to process it.

"I was a warrior – I fought for Her, with Her, wherever She chose. Eventually, we were separated, but She promised that someday She would come back to me as a woman and we would be together forever."

"How would She do that?"

"She would… I don't know the word for it, I'm not a magician, but basically, She would be born as a woman who would bond with me and be with me forever."

"What about me?"

Eric looked at her and waited until she put it together. In the mean time, Tammy was back with their order, so Eric busied himself with getting their food into the car.

Sookie was starving so she tore into the chicken as soon as she had it while Eric was putting her drink in the cup holder. He took his bottle from the tray and leaned back sort of facing her, waiting for her to put it together.

"I can't believe how hungry I am!" she said with her mouth full. He waited while she finished about two thirds of a chicken breast and was drowning a big pile of fries in ketchup and suddenly it hit her.

"You said you'd been looking for me for hundreds of years…" she said slowly, pushing a stray bit of chicken into her mouth.

"I did, and I did."

"You think I'm…?" She looked at him like he had two heads, which made Eric laugh because it was really very cute.

"At least a part of Her. I'm not sure how it works. I'm a warrior, not a magician."

"Did She promise you a baby?"

"She promised to make all my dreams come true when She came back to me."

"And you dreamed about having a baby?"

"I would never have dared – it was too impossible."

"So Niall told you today that I'm pregnant with your baby?" she wanted to make sure she had the story right before she went off on him or Niall or whomever else she could direct this feeling of "WTF?!" toward.

"My son, to be exact."

"Your son? He already knows its sex?"

"A part of the magick. He assured me that he would look very much like me so no one will doubt I am his father."

Sookie started to say something but she got a sudden whiff of the ketchup on the fries and she flew out of the car toward the empty lot beside them and threw up.

Eric could feel that she didn't want him to come near so he gave her a minute, then he took her drink and a pile of napkins to her. She wiped off her face, though there wasn't really anything on it, then she rinsed her mouth with the icy grape drink and spit it out.

"Better now?"

"Oh my god!" She grabbed his hand and tried to steady herself because she felt as if she might fall.

"More like, "oh my Goddess,"" Eric corrected her.

"What am I going to tell Gran? And Jason?! OH, SHIT!"

"Sookie, if you think you are finished we should go back to the car. People are becoming suspicious. We don't want them to call the police."

"Ok… Ok." She was dumb-founded as she understood at least part of it to be true, so she was numb as she let him guide her back to the car and she got in, holding onto the grape drink so she could sip it. "This is really good," she said weakly as he got back into the car. "These fries are gross, though."

Eric took the basket and held the chicken pieces as he dumped the fries in the trash can near the car.

"I'm glad you saved the chicken," she laughed softly as he came back to the car. Tammy came back around to check on them.

"Everything OK?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes, my fiancé is just little sick."

"Can I get y'all anything else?"

"Another one of these," Sookie held up the cup, "and some fries with no ketchup."

Eric nodded to the girl and she went back in to get the order.

"Do you think you can still eat, Sweetheart?"

"Yeah, as long as there's no ketchup on it. Do you suppose there's anyplace around here I could get a pregnancy test?"

"We will ask Tammy when she comes back."

"Good idea. So this is real? I'm going to have a baby?"

"Yes, we are going to have a baby."

"Eric, I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry?" he laughed, "Sookie, why would you be sorry?" He suddenly became serious. "Unless you don't want the baby…"

"Eric, don't be crazy, I'd love to have your baby, I just… do you _want_ this?"

"Oh, yes, Sookie, I want this very much."

"You're not just saying that?"

"I won't lie to you, Sookie. I told you that Niall and Dr. Ludwig didn't even want me to tell you yet, but I couldn't do it."

"Dr. Ludwig?"

"She's a Supe doctor. She'll have to monitor your progress since the baby is unique."

"Unique?" Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

"There is no record of anyone ever having a Fae/vampire hybrid baby."

"Great," she said a bit sarcastically, "why didn't they want you to tell me?"

"It's very early. If something were to happen…"

"Like if I miscarry?" She tore into the chicken leg next.

"Right."

"That's why you wanted me to quit my job so much tonight?"

"Yes, and why I don't want you taking medicine for flu you do not have."

"Yeah, that's not a good idea. I'm glad you told me."

"You are?"

"Yes, if I'm going to have a special baby, I want to do whatever I can to make sure he's healthy. I wish I hadn't had that champagne last night!"

"You only had a little. I'm sure Ludwig would have said something if you had done anything wrong."

"How would she know?"

"She has ways of knowing things. She's a very unusual doctor."

"Well, I guess that's good if I'm having a very unusual baby," she sucked hard on the straw in her drink, loudly draining the last bit of grape flavor and leaving only ice. Fortunately, Tammy was coming back with her second drink and her fries.

"Want me to throw that away?" Eric offered

"No, I want to keep the ice, OK?"

"Of course." He turned to the window to take the new items from Tammy. "Thank you. May I ask you a question?"

"Sure!"

"Is there an establishment in the area that would be open at this hour that might carry pregnancy tests?"

"Oh," Tammy said, suddenly understanding why the blonde girl threw up. "The only place I know for sure would be Wal-Mart. If you get on the highway there and go west, it's only like three exits."

"Thank you very much. Can we get our check now, please?''

"Sure, here ya go."

Eric reached into his wallet and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. "Here you go, Tammy. You can keep the change. Take this tray and basket, please? We appreciate your help." Eric got Sookie settled with her food and buckled her seatbelt, then they headed for Wal-Mart.

Sookie managed to eat the rest of the chicken and fries and she sipped on the drink as they drove. She was still eating when they pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot.

"Take your time, Sookie, we are in no hurry."

"Maybe you're not, but I have to go to the bathroom," she laughed and he did, too.

"Alright, well, do what you need to do."

She finished up the chicken wing and the last three fries, then asked, "think they'll yell at me if I bring this drink in with me? It settles my stomach."

"I'll tell them you're sick and need to keep it with you. They won't give us a hard time, believe me."

"You sure?"

"Sookie, no one is going to get smart with me. They wouldn't dare," he winked at her.

Sookie laughed. "Good point! I'm ready. Hey, you know, it might be too early to use a pregnancy test."

"Well, we'll try it and if not, we'll check later. Do you know how to use one?"

"Yeah, you pee on it."

Eric laughed. "Well that should be easy enough. Maybe you should wait and go to the bathroom after we buy it?"

"Good idea. Let's go to the pharmacy and get it, then we can pay for it in back where they have the TVs and that's right next to the bathroom."

"Good plan," he laughed as he got out of the car and came around to open her door.

Heads turned as they walked into the store. Eric looked even whiter in this light and the way he towered over everyone made him seem that much scarier. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was a vampire. It turned out that the pregnancy tests were locked up in the pharmacy, but Eric asked a young man working in the next aisle to get one for them and he didn't dare say 'no.' He figured it would be better to get in trouble with his boss than to piss Eric off. Once they had it, they realized it was closer to go through the fast lane up front and let Sookie go to the bathroom up there.

Eric had the cashier scan it and Sookie took it and ran to the bathroom while he was still paying. He sat on a bench outside the restroom holding her drink and waited while Sookie figured out what to do. There was no one else in the ladies' room so she was talking the whole time so he knew what she was doing. She told him she had to wait about ten minutes, which she was doing with her phone. Eric was enjoying the looks he was getting from the other people in the store. He saw the security guards checking him out and had to suppress a laugh when he heard them both say they weren't going to be the one to question him. They finally gave up and one of them told the floor manager "if you got a problem with him, you tell him."

"Eric, come here!" Sookie was at the entrance to the restroom. "Look!"

There was a big "" sign in the little window.

"Give it to me."

"Ew, Eric!"

"I don't care, I want to keep it," he said as he wrapped it in a handkerchief and put it in his coat pocket.

"Hey, since we're here, could I look at the clothes?"

"Of course, Sookie."

"OK, let me wash my hands first." She went back in briefly and then they cut through an empty checkout lane to get to the Misses' clothing department.

"What do you think of this?" She held up a little green flowered dress.

"I don't like that with your coloring. Try that one there," he pointed to a blue one with lavender flowers.

"Ooh, that's sweet!" She held it up in front of her and he nodded.

"These clothes are very cheap, you know…" he said with some distaste.

"Yeah, but this is cute."

"Alright. Hopefully it will be the last garment you purchase here."

"I don't see much else."

"Is there anything you want from any of the other departments?"

"Could I get some salad stuff?"

"Get anything you want. Do you want a cart?"

"Nah, we can carry it," she grabbed his hand playfully and led him over to the vegetables. He helped her get cucumbers and red peppers, holding the thin bags open as she filled them, then she grabbed several bags of ready-made Caesar salad, romaine lettuce, baby carrots and some blue cheese dressing, plus some croutons and other crunchy stuff to put on a salad. "OK, I'm done!" she giggled and he offered her his arm as they headed for the front. There was no line at this hour so they were quickly out in the parking lot.

"Hold this," Eric handed her the two bags of stuff and scooped her up in his arms, making her crack up. They kissed all the way to the car, and he tucked her into her seat with a big smooch before heading for his own. He threw the bags in the trunk, then got in and they kissed for a good ten minutes. Before he started the car, he took the little testing stick out of his pocket and looked at it again with a big smile.

"You like that, huh?"

"Yes, my beautiful bonded, I like that very much."

"OK, you need to be there when I tell Gran."

"I have a suggestion," he said as he started the car. "Your closet in your bedroom is lightfast, yes?"

"I don't know. I guess you could always put a towel under the door."

"How would you feel about me sheltering there today? I'd be awake before you finished your dinner with Niall, then we could talk to your grandmother and we'll go back to my house after."

"I love that idea! I always wished I had a gorgeous man I could keep in my closet and take out at night," she laughed and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Wishes do come true, it seems," he beamed at her.

He put the CD back in and Sookie took her favorite position with her head on his shoulder as he held her hand.

About half way home, Sookie giggled. "Eric, you're so happy!"

"Yes, I am. I never dreamed I could be this happy, Sookie. Finding you was a miracle in itself, and now the idea of a child… it's almost too much to bear," he laughed.

"I feel the same way about you, you know," Sookie laughed.

"I am glad to hear it. I was afraid you would be upset."

"Upset? Shocked, yeah, but not upset. When Gran told me about Niall, I started to say that she was going to let me get married and have kids without telling me, but then it hit me we could never have kids. I was trying to tell myself that it didn't matter, but it did. I would never leave you, Eric, not for any reason, but it made me sad. Even if this is way too soon, it's such a relief, I can't feel bad about it. I'm so glad you told me."

"We both need to remember that it is very early, Sookie."

"Yeah, but now that I know, I can be smart about it. I'm so glad you weren't going to let me keep working at Merlotte's, too. The only rough parts I see right now are telling Gran and Jason. Considering what Gran just told me, though, I figure she doesn't have a lot of room to talk. We'll put off telling Jason until there's no way around it."

"That's probably wise."

"Wow - a baby! A little boy! Gran won't be happy that we're not married, but she'll be tickled to death to have a great grandchild." Sookie was very close to being giddy.

"He will have a great grandmother who loves him and parents who are wild about him. What a lucky boy he will be," Eric laughed.

"Yeah, Eric Jr. Baby Eric. Baby E! You can be the Big E and he'll be Baby E."

"Baby Eric," Eric said wistfully. Sookie looked sideways at him, thinking she saw a little drop of blood in the corner of his eye.

"Eric, do vampires cry?"

"We can, yes, but our tears are made of blood."

"I guess that makes sense - that's why your…. stuff… is pink?

Eric laughed when he realized that by stuff she meant his emission. "Yes, it is tinged with blood. That gives it healing properties, though, so that's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No, not at all. Healing properties, huh?"

"Yes, it's a very great advantage. It prevents all kinds of small injuries that might occur in rough sex."

"Well, I guess we won't be getting too rough for a bit?"

"No, we will leave that for after the child is born. We have a long life together so there is no need to rush anything."

Sookie sang teasingly "I'm gonna be a mom-my!" which made Eric laugh with delight. "So the baby is going to look like you, huh? That will be one pretty little boy," she teased him.

"Hopefully he will look like his mother, too, so he will be very beautiful, indeed."

"So this doctor – what's his name again?"

"Her name is Dr. Ludwig. She's very respected in the Supe world. I talked to her earlier. She told me to give you her number when you figured out you were with child."

"I was supposed to just figure it out?"

"Yes, unless you began to think you were ill, which you did, so technically I have followed her instructions. I'm sure she would not want you taking medications right now."

"You'll give me her number, then?"

"Yes, of course. I thought perhaps we would call her tomorrow night when we get to my house. She's not human, so you need to be prepared for her appearance. She's very small and you will see her as a bit strange, I think, but she's very elite and very good. In an emergency, she can appear human for a few hours or so."

"OK, so like if Gran is around?"

"Yes, if you think she needs protection from that…"

"Actually, she might not. If she slept with a fairy – more than once, even – she might be fine with a weird little doctor," Sookie laughed.

"She is turning out to be much more open-minded than I had expected," Eric agreed.

They turned down the Lane to the Stackhouse residence and as they drew near, Sookie said "hey, why are the lights on? You don't suppose Gran is up this late, do you?"

"You want me to go up to your window?"

"No, I want to tell her that you're staying there. I don't want her to open my closet and get a surprise."

"Alright, we'll go in together for a change," Eric laughed, thinking that they had never done this before. He relished every little "first" that they had together.

Eric parked her car next to the house and opened her door, taking the bags from the trunk and following her up the steps to the kitchen. The lights were on in there, too.

"Hey, Gran – You're still up?!" Sookie motioned for Eric to leave her car keys and the grocery bags on the counter.

Adele was sitting at the table in a blue buttoned-up robe with her hair down, eating oatmeal cookies and having a cup of coffee. "Sookie, I'm glad you're home. Hello, Eric."

Eric nodded to her and let Sookie find out what was happening. "What's going on?"

"I was a little worried, Sookie. I got up and you weren't home yet and there was a message from Jason asking why you quit your job and walked out in the middle of a shift."

"Gran, I'm so sorry! I would have called, but I thought you'd be asleep. You could have called my cell phone."

"I didn't want to interrupt if there was something going on, so I just decided to wait."

"I feel so bad – we've been all over the place, but we _were_ talking about something very important."

"Eric, did you meet Niall tonight?" Gran wanted information more than anything, which is why she had stayed up. If they'd gone straight into Sookie's room, she planned to knock on the door.

"Yes, Mrs. Stackhouse, he came to my office at Fangtasia."

"Alright, now you and Sookie sit down and tell me what's going on. I know that if he is involved, there's something big happening, and Fintan always told me not to trust him."

Eric nodded as he took a seat opposite Adele. Sookie sat between. "That's good advice," Eric began. "He had news for me tonight and he wanted to tell me himself so I would believe it to be true. He asked that I not tell Sookie yet, but I felt it would not be appropriate to keep such a thing from her."

"Whatever it is, I want to know right now." Gran was adamant. "We're family now, and I won't have secrets. We need to be on the same page so we can stand up for each other."

Eric looked at Sookie, who reached out and held Adele's hand. "Gran, remember when we were talking and I started to say something about having kids and you said you hoped I had thought things through?"

"Yes." Adele's expression suddenly changed to disbelief mixed with hope. "Sookie, are you pregnant?"

"Yes, Gran, I am."

"Niall did this?"

"Yes," Eric continued. "He told me himself so I would not think Sookie had been unfaithful."

Gran nodded, "Fae magick."

"Yes," Eric said.

"I knew he was a powerful magician, but I didn't know he could make a vampire fertile." Gran was mighty impressed.

"I had thought it only a rumor, but as it turns out, my mother was Fae."

"Eric! You didn't tell me!" Sookie was shocked. Again.

"I meant to, Sookie, we were just occupied with other things. It's such a small part of the equation…"

"That might make it easier, I suppose," Adele said.

"Gran – how did you know?"

"I saw you get off the mower today and I thought to myself that if you were dating a human man, I'd think you were pregnant. As I was racking my brain, trying to figure out why Niall would take a sudden interest, I wondered if it wasn't about a baby in some way. I was hoping he wasn't going to tell you that you couldn't be together because Sookie had to have a baby. This is a much better situation than I was afraid of."

"Yes, I'm very pleased with the turn of events," Eric smiled.

"This baby – will it be unusual?" Gran was a little apprehensive about that part of it.

"It will be a boy who looks like Eric! Isn't that wonderful!" Sookie could let it out now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. This was AWESOME!

Eric smiled lovingly at her and continued, "he will be a hybrid of some sort. He will need a Supe doctor, the finest of whom has already been retained. Have no fear – I will see that Sookie has the finest care available, and everything she could possibly need."

"Well, that's a relief. Have you thought about a wedding? You have plenty of time, don't you?" Adele asked.

"Well, it's really early in the pregnancy…" Sookie said as she looked over the cookies and picked one that seemed bigger than the others.

"They aren't sure how long the pregnancy will last, however," Eric told them, "Fae only gestate for five and a half to six months. Vampire blood has healing properties and they want Sookie to drink from me regularly for the baby's growth. It might be much sooner than a human child."

"Wow – you mean I might only have, like, 22 weeks?" Sookie hadn't known that part of it.

"That's going to be a bit sticky," Adele said unhappily. "People will think Sookie was pregnant before she met you. I don't want people thinking ill of her."

"Most people won't know the particulars, Gran, especially if I'm not working at Merlotte's."

"Speaking of which, did you quit your job?" Gran got back to her original question.

"Not exactly. Sam said he didn't want me to wear my engagement ring in there because of insurance or something and Eric showed up and asked me to quit and while we were talking about it, Sam brought my keys and phone and stuff out to me and told me to think about whether I really wanted to work there anymore. He said I've already moved on."

"Well, he's right about that," Adele agreed.

"He is?"

"Yes, Sookie, especially now that you are pregnant. You can't be on your feet like that and you could buy and sell Sam Merlotte with that ring. You're going to be a mother now so your place is with Eric, taking care of your child."

Eric nodded in agreement.

"So you're not mad, Gran?"

"No, darlin,' I'm not mad. This has all been very sudden, but we are where we are and we need to make that baby our priority. That comes before everything now. Every one of us needs to make up our minds to do what is best for that child." Gran was pounding the table with her forefinger for emphasis.

"I agree," Eric said emphatically.

"Now, Mr. Brigant will be here for dinner at 6 PM. What did you two have planned?"

"I feel I should be here as early as possible with Sookie, so I was going to shelter in a closet here today, if you don't mind."

"That's fine. You might want to use the closet in the guest room across from Sookie – it's big enough to lie down in and we'll close the door and make sure you aren't disturbed. I assume Sookie will go home with you after we meet with Mr. Brigant?"

"If you don't mind…" Eric wanted to be sure she was alright with that because he did respect her and he knew if she was upset, then Sookie would be, too.

"I think we all need to think about Sookie moving in with you. Your house is probably safer and more comfortable and she'll need to be around you as much as she can while she's with child."

"Yes, I agree, but I'd like you to think about living with us, too," Eric told her.

"What?" Adele had never even considered that a possibility.

"We have plenty of room – there are four unused bedrooms at my house. The entire second and fourth floors are empty. Sookie will need you around to help her as the pregnancy develops."

"Oh, I couldn't intrude. You're a young couple, you'll want time together…"

"We are a couple with a lot of time to look forward to and you are important to Sookie. You will be important to my son, too, I am sure of it. We would be honored if you would stay with us."

"How about this. You two have some time alone together now, and when Sookie gets further along, I'll come visit a few nights a week."

"Whatever you want to do is fine. You are always welcome in our home," Eric said with great sincerity. He considered having an elder woman in the family a great advantage for Sookie. He knew that would be a wonderful thing for a young mother to have such experience and love available to her. Margaret would provide good support, too and he had a plan to arrange for more as they progressed. "While we are on the subject, I'd like your permission to have my day man make arrangements to pay your bills and your taxes so you needn't worry about anything. I'll be setting up accounts for Sookie now that we are to be wed, and I'd like to see that you have a regular income for whatever you want."

"Oh, I couldn't…"

"Gran, please let him? I won't have to worry about you so much if I know everything is taken care of. You could keep your whole check just for you, plus the gas leases…"

"Well, I don't know…"

"Mrs. Stackhouse, I would consider it a part of caring for Sookie to see to your needs. In the grand scheme of things, it's such an easy thing for me to do. You've worked hard to care for Sookie. Let me thank you by doing what I can to care for you. It will take pressure off of you both."

It wouldn't take much for Sookie to cry right now – Eric was being so sweet!

"Well, we'll see how it goes."

Sookie looked at Eric with a furrowed brow and gave him a nod, telling him that was a close to a 'yes' as he'd ever get. Eric would call Bobby Burnham before he went to sleep and arrange for someone to manage Adele's affairs for her so she never had to write out another check to pay a bill. He already had him doing the research to be able to do that. All he needed was the green light and as far as Eric was concerned, this was it.

"Alright, now, I'm going to try to get some sleep. Sookie do you need to get up early for anything?"

"No, I don't need to go shopping now. I got a new dress at Wal-Mart."

"Alright, then, I want you to sleep as late as you can and I'll fix you a good breakfast when you wake up. Drink a glass of milk before you go to bed, and get in the habit of doing that so the baby will have good bones. I'll go up put fresh linens out on the bed in the guest room and you can make Eric a comfortable spot to spend the day, then during the day we'll lock the door to the room. No one's ever in there, anyway, but just to be safe, we'll keep it closed and dark. Have a good night, you two."

"G'nite, Gran!"

"Good night, Mrs. Stackhouse."

Eric went to the refrigerator and took out a carton of milk, looking through the cupboards for glasses. He poured a glass of milk and sniffed it. "Hmm – I'm not sure of the quality of this milk, Sookie. I think we need to make sure you have organic milk available to you."

Sookie laughed. "You know about organic foods?"

"I did some research on the Internet and read that commercially-produced products are often impure and contain pesticides and hormones. I'll see to it that you have the best quality foods. I'll let Margaret know that you are expecting so she can shop accordingly."

"How is Margaret going to feel about having a baby vampire or fairy or whatever running around the house."

"She will love it! Who would not love such a special child?" He said with such an air of incredulity that Sookie had to laugh at him.

"Laugh if you want, my sweet bonded, but my son will have the finest of everything," he said with great pride and finality, but a bit of humor, too.

"This "my son" thing is going to get out of hand – I can see it already."

"Would you expect anything less from the father of a unique child?" He handed her the glass as he sat down.

"No, I guess not. You think Niall will be angry that I already know?"

"I don't care. If he wants that baby to be hale and hearty, it's best that you know now. I can't imagine letting you walk around unaware. I suspect he did not think it through. He knows little of human culture and environmental hazards, I think. He knows much about magick, but is not that familiar with the human world. I am the child's father, so I will be the final arbiter of what is appropriate for him."

"Along with me, right?"

"Yes, of course, Sookie. You are his mother. We are partners."

"OK, I just wanted to get that clear right up front," she laughed.

He leaned over and kissed her. Once he heard her grandmother close her bedroom door, he picked Sookie up and flew up the stairs with her, making her giggle. They had sex very quietly since Gran knew Eric was here, then she made a bed for him in the guest closet with a colorful Dutch girl quilt for a base. She spread a white top sheet with tiny lavender flowers over it and he said he didn't need a blanket, so they went back to her room. He stayed with her until sun-up, then closed himself in the room, and the closet within.

It was 2:16 in the afternoon before Sookie woke up and she was starving. When she went downstairs, Gran had everything ready to make her favorite – waffles! She had even been to the store to get dinner for Niall and she bought fresh blueberries and whipped cream for the top!

She put a glass of orange juice in front of Sookie, which only stayed down about ten minutes, but after she got sick and came back, she did manage to eat enough waffles to feed a family of four.

"Sookie, Honey, do you want some more waffles?"

"No, I think I'm finally done. I can't believe I ate all of that!"

"You're eating for two, so you'll be eating a lot now. Just relax and enjoy it while you can. Can you drink another glass of milk?"

"Yeah, if I drink it slowly."

"Alright. I bought whole milk because that skim stuff is not enough for the baby."

"Eric said he wants me to start drinking organic milk," Sookie laughed.

"Where in the world would you buy something like that?" Gran laughed.

"They have it at Wal-Mart. He'll have Margaret find it somewhere, I'm sure.

"Is your dress ready for tonight?"

"I haven't even had a chance to look at it. It's still in the bag somewhere."

"Oh, I think I put it in the laundry room." Gran went out to the screened in porch and came back with the lavender flowered dress. "This is sweet, Sookie. Did you try it on?"

"Not yet."

"Why don't you do that now, and I'll iron it while you take your bath. I'll have to start dinner in a couple of hours.

"Yeah, it's getting late. I wonder why he wanted to come so early?"

"I have an idea it's so Eric couldn't be here for all of it."

"You think?"

"Yes, I do. I think he'll let you know what he thinks of Eric while he has a chance. Fintan said he's not one to spare anyone's feelings, so be prepared for that."

"So far, he doesn't sound very nice."

"He was very polite when he was here, but he was very definite about what he wanted and what he expected. He wanted seafood for dinner so we're having catfish."

"Yum!"

"I don't know that I'd choose fish for a pregnant woman. I hope you can keep it down. If you can't, I got some other things you can have."

"I can always just eat Pop Tarts."

"No, you can't. You need at least three good meals a day. If you can't eat fish, I'll make you a little cube steak. If you need a snack, you think apples and peanut butter. You need good proteins for the baby."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Speaking of which, I want to talk to whoever makes your meals at Eric's house. I want to be sure you're eating properly."

"Hey, why don't you go with us tonight, talk to Margaret tomorrow and I'll drive you home after?"

"Let me think about that. A phone call would probably be all we really need, but I must admit, I'd like to know where you're staying."

"Think about it, Gran. After you talk to Margaret, we could go to lunch and go shopping and then I'd bring you home and probably be back to Shreveport before Eric wakes up."

"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way there?"

"Want me to call Margaret and ask?"

"Yes, I do. Make sure that there's a bedroom and it won't be any trouble and if she says they can handle it, I'll go."

"I'll go get my phone – her number is in there." Sookie headed up to her room while Gran cleaned off the waffle iron and put the butter and syrup away.

She came back down and called Margaret's cell.

"Miss Sookie?"

"Yes, Margaret! How are you?"

"Very well, Miss. I hear you have some good news for us!"

"Did Eric tell you?"

"Yes, he did, and we're all very excited."

"Oh, that's so nice. The reason I'm calling is, my grandmother wants to see the house and I wanted to see if it would be any trouble if she came back with us tonight and stayed over?"

"Oh, that would be very nice. I imagine she'd like to see where you'll be living."

"Yeah, exactly. Is there a room available? I know they were working on the second floor…"

"Oh, they've finished all but the one room, and we can just close that door. There's a very nice room all set up and it looks very comfortable. We'd be very pleased to have her and I'm sure she'll be very impressed with your new home."

"Oh, good, then I guess she'll be coming, too and I'll probably bring her back here tomorrow. She wants a chance to talk to you about my diet, if that's OK?"

"Oh, yes, that will be fine. I can give her the list the doctor faxed to us this morning."

"The doctor faxed you a list?"

"Yes, apparently Mr. Northman asked her to give us some instruction for your diet. I'll have a copy ready for her and one you can carry in your purse in case you want to eat out some time."

"Oh, great. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Oh, I'll be here tonight when you arrive. We'll look forward to seeing you."

"Thanks so much. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye, Miss."

"What did she say about the doctor, Sookie?"

"Eric had her fax a list of what I'm supposed to eat to the house. Margaret will have copies for us and she's happy to go through things with you."

"Oh, that was smart."

"Yeah, he's good like that," Sookie laughed. "Margaret will be there tonight, so you'll get to meet her. I can't wait for you to see the house. She said all but one room is finished. I'm guessing they finished the dining and living room, too, because there wasn't that much to do."

"I'm amazed he was able to get all that done so quickly?"

"He says if you've got enough money, you can get things done quickly. He doesn't mind paying a little extra to get things done when he wants them."

"Is he very extravagant?"

"Well, by our standards, I guess, but he says he has more money than I can imagine so it's not extravagant for him."

"Well, I'm glad to know you'll be comfortable."

"_We'll_ be comfortable, Gran. He includes you in things because you're so important to me."

Gran smiled, "he's a very nice man," she said as she wiped down the counter by the stove.

"He would say he's a practical man. He knows keeping you happy will keep me happy," she laughed.

"Good thing he's so smart. He seems very happy about the baby, too."

"Yeah, he was right from the first. He said he never dared dream he'd have a son, but I guess deep down he really wanted one."

"Naturally, he did. Alright, I'll get the ironing board and you try on your dress."

"Thanks, Gran. Be right back!" She took the blue dress with the small lavender flowers up to her room and put it on. It fit pretty well, though it could have used a little dart in the bust area, so she went down to show Adele. "OK, what do you think?"

"I think it gapes a little at the arms. Let me see this." Gran tried folding small darts to make it lie flat and thought it looked much better, so she got her sewing basket and pinned it the way it looked best. "Alright, Honey, be careful taking it off so you don't get stuck. Actually wait – let me help you. Raise your arms." Gran helped Sookie ease the dress up over her head and the two of them managed to get it off of her without getting hurt or losing the pins. "Alright, take your shower and I'll get this fixed up."

"Thanks for doing that, Gran. I'm going to soak in the tub a little bit," Sookie headed up the steps quickly because she was in her bra and panties.

"Alright, but not too hot," Gran called after her, "You have to be moderate with baths and such for the baby."

"I never thought of that. Ok, not too hot."

Adele went to work on the dress and Sookie gathered her bath items, including a new fashion magazine that came in the mail. She didn't know why she read these things, because they always made her feel fat, but she loved seeing all the clothes and makeup. She carefully put her engagement ring in the box until it was time to get dressed, ran her bath and relaxed into the water with her magazine. She wondered if there were magazines for pregnant women, but she couldn't remember ever seeing one, though she knew there were lots of books about pregnancy. She made a note to try to find a bookstore while they were out tomorrow so she could get one. It would be nice to have an idea what was going on.

Sookie shaved her legs, then opened the drain and stood up under the shower to wash her hair. She used a special shampoo for blonde hair she used once in a while that made it appear even brighter than usual and she spent extra time doing a really good blow out, putting a few huge Velcro rollers in it while she got dressed. She spent extra time on her make-up, too, so she was just getting done with her lipgloss when Gran brought her dress to her. Adele helped her slip it over the rollers, and they were both much happier with the way it fit her figure.

Sookie threw her curlers back in the pink flowered hatbox she kept hair stuff in, bent over and brushed her hair out, the sprayed it as she straightened up. She thought she looked extra pretty, and couldn't wait for Eric to see her. She wasn't that concerned about Niall, though she did hope he would like her. She figured now that she knew about the baby, that sort of stole his thunder. Meeting him was really only a formality, right? She put on her favorite white sandals that had just a little heel and she as ready. Next she filled her tote bag, which was already half full, with the remaining things she needed to take home with her. She laughed to herself that she already thought of it as 'home.' How cool was that?!

She stepped out into the hallway, stopping to put her hand on the guest room door and focus on Eric in the bond. Even having him in the house asleep was comforting.

She bounced down the stairs, happy and relaxed, and helped Gran by setting the table and making a salad. She bagged the rest of the salad stuff up to take to Eric's house.

At 5:23, Sookie started to get nervous. She didn't know why, but suddenly she had a feeling of dread. At 5:46 she threw up. Great. She brushed her teeth, gargled, checked her hair and fixed her lipgloss and by that time there was a knock at the door.

Adele had put on a very pretty blue dress she usually wore to church and she had her hair up with her best Honora pearls around her neck as she answered the door.

"Hello, my dear," Niall greeted her with a smile.

"Hello, Mr…"

"Please, call me Niall."

"Alright, won't you come in, Niall?"

Sookie was standing at the top of the stairs, frozen. If she had her "druthers" she'd rather go in the closet with Eric and stay until he got up.

"Sookie, Honey, our guest is here."

'OK,' she told herself, 'put a smile on your face and go meet Grandpa.'

Sookie came down the stairs and Niall, who was sitting next to the fireplace again, stood as she entered the room.

"Sookie, my dear, how lovely you are. You've become a very pretty woman!" He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek.

He didn't look anything like Sookie had pictured him. He was thin and had amazing long silver hair. He had some kind of something – is that what they call an "aura?" – around him and everything about him seemed to say magick. He was simply beautiful!

"Hi…uh, what should I call you?"

"Whatever makes you comfortable, dear. Grandpa is fine, or Niall."

"I like Grandpa," she smiled apologetically.

"Then Grandpa it is." Niall was very pleased with that. "I take it the vampire told you the news?"

"Uh, yeah, I hope you aren't angry. I was talking about taking medicine because I thought I had the flu and he sort of had to…"

"That's fine. There was no real reason not to tell you. I was more interested in seeing if he would keep a secret from you. I'm very pleased he could not. Let's sit on the couch for a moment," He directed Sookie around and sat next to her, taking her hand in his. Adele excused herself to check on dinner, and Niall continued, "Are you happy, my dear?"

"I've never been happier. Meeting Eric has been like a dream come true and getting to be with him AND have a baby - I just can't imagine life being any better."

"I'm very glad to hear it. If, however, you ever decide you want to get away from him, you say the word and I will kill him."

"NO! I would never want that!"

"Well, it's early in the relationship, and we have a long way to go. Just know that escape is always possible and I'll see that you and the baby inherit everything he owns."

"I really don't want to talk about this. I LOVE Eric and I'd never want to lose him, especially now that we're having a baby!"

"Are you happy about the child? It's not too late to…"

"Don't even SAY that!" Sookie was adamant about this. "I don't even want to hear the words. I want this baby more than anything."

"Alright, Dearest, don't be alarmed. I just needed to let you know that you always have options. I knew you would refuse. Truth be told, many people are counting on that little one. He has a destiny to fulfill and he needs you and Northman both to learn all he needs to know."

"He can learn to be a vampire or a warrior from Eric – is that what you mean?"

"Yes, but you will also teach him magick."

"I don't know anything about magick!"

"All in good time, Dearest. Let's get you married and settled into your new home, then we'll go from there. Have you ever heard the expression, "when the student is ready, the teacher appears?""

"No."

"Remember it. I believe your grandmother has dinner ready." Niall stood, still holding Sookie's hand and motioned for her to go into the kitchen. Sookie was brimming with questions, and Niall answered most of them, though he only told her what he wanted her to know.

"Where do you live, Grandpa?"

"It has many names, but my favorite has always been Elfyria."

"Are there different kinds of Fae?"

"Oh, yes, many, many kinds, but you have plenty of time to learn about our people. Focus on the baby right now and your new relationship. It will be a long, long time before you need to worry about the rest of your Kith."

"What's a Kith?"

"Like a family, but much bigger and more inclusive. Ours is the oldest in our realm, my child, and the most powerful, but you needn't concern yourself with that just yet."

"Just yet? Implying she WILL need to concern herself with it at some point?" Eric asked from the doorway.

"Vampire – so nice to see you. I believe we were about to have dessert?"

"Yes," Adele said, "I've baked pecan pie."

"Wonderful! I can't wait to try it, my dear." His tone was more stern when he spoke to Eric, "have a seat, Northman, we're all just getting acquainted."

Sookie popped up and kissed Eric, prompting a scowl from Niall that did not escape Eric's notice. Eric would later conclude that Niall was not participating in whatever this was voluntarily. He would always need to watch his back where Niall was concerned, though that would be true of any fairy.

Eric sat opposite Niall, next to Sookie, and Adele brought him a warm blood while the others dug into their pie. Niall didn't stay long after Eric woke up. He gave Sookie his card and told her to call anytime she wanted, then bid them all a good night, giving Sookie another kiss on the cheek as he left. As soon as he was gone, Eric grabbed Sookie and kissed her, then buried his nose in her neck. Adele made herself scarce in the kitchen, not wanting to intrude.

"Eric, what's come over you?" Sookie said, a little surprised and embarrassed.

"Fairy!" He showed no sign of letting her go, sniffing, kissing and nuzzling her almost like he was getting ready to take a bite out of her, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

"Eric?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"Is this part of that vampire getting high from fairy blood thing."

"Yes. You smell so sweet, I never want to let you go."

"You will, though, in a minute, right?"

He tried to pull away. "I guess I'll have to – I'm being rude to your grandmother."

"Speaking of Gran, she's going to go home with us tonight and then I'll bring her back here tomorrow, if that's OK?"

He snapped out of it a bit. "Yes, that's a very good idea. I'm sure she's anxious to see your new home."

"Yes, and she wants to meet Margaret so she knows I'm eating properly."

"Do you know – did the doctor send over the diet I requested?"

"Yes, she did. Let me help Gran clean up the kitchen and we'll go, OK?"

"Of course. Actually, your car only has two seats, you know…"

"Oh, that's right!"

"How about if I go now and the two of you drive the car?"

"Good idea! We'll be there in a little bit."

"Good. That will give me time to get home and tend to some business." He went to the kitchen. "Mrs. Stackhouse? I will be leaving and you and Sookie will follow in her car. Is there anything you need me to help with before I go?"

"Oh, no, thank you, Eric, it will just take us a few minutes and then we'll be right behind you."

"Wonderful. I'll be waiting for you both," he gave her a big smile, gave Sookie a big, backward-bending kiss, and left. If he didn't get the fairy scent out of his nose, he was really going to embarrass Sookie in front of her grandmother.

Sookie and Gran finished up while Sookie took their bags out to the car and after Gran locked up, she helped her into the passenger seat. In less than half an hour, they were on their way to Eric's house. Adele was a little nervous, but she was excited, too, because of the way Sookie had bragged about the house. The intimacy of the car led them to have a heart to heart talk about vampires, fairies, marriage and babies. For the moment, they were just very glad to be together.

Margaret was still at the house when Eric arrived and she had some messages and some questions about things that would be needed.

"Good evening, Sir!"

"Margaret! Thank you for staying!"

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Northman, I'll get to see Miss Sookie and her Grandmother this way. I had a couple of things I wanted to discuss with you, if you don't mind?"

"Of course, what did you want to talk about?"

"I was speaking to a woman I know recently named Alicia Evans. She's a very experienced Ladies' Maid. Do you know what that is?"

"Yes, it's a maid that tends to a lady's wardrobe and other needs. You know her well?"

"Yes, we worked together for a while a few years ago. She's quite skilled. I was thinking, since you were concerned about what Miss Sookie had to wear to that cocktail party you spoke of, maybe you'd want to consider hiring her away from her current position for Miss Sookie."

Eric considered that and nodded. "That's an interesting idea. What exactly would she do?"

"Well, she could help fill in Miss Sookie's wardrobe so she always had what she needed to wear for various activities. She'd see that her laundry was done, help her dress appropriately, do her hair and make-up on special occasions, keep her personal items in order, and over-see anything else the Lady of the house might need to do. She's well-versed in etiquette and even has clerical skills that might come in handy."

"Would she answer to you?"

"A ladies' maid traditionally only answers to the lady of the house. She'd be over me, and I'd continue to administer the rest of the household staff. I just think it might help Miss Sookie adapt if she had someone who can give her pointers and help her know what to expect and what is required for different occasions."

"Yes, that's a very good idea. I trust that you would not recommend her if she were not very good at what she does…"

"She's the best I've ever known. She could make a fortune in New York or LA, but her children are in Louisiana, so she prefers to stay close enough to visit several times a year. She's a very nice woman, warm, sophisticated, and I called her today and we talked about the baby. She hasn't been happy in her current position in quite a while, and I know she'd jump at this job if you offered it."

"She knows I am vampire?"

"Yes, and she has no problem with that. I described Miss Sookie and what I thought she might need and she's very open to the whole idea."

"What kind of salary would she require?"

"I'd offer her $150,000 a year plus bonuses. She'd be able to start immediately."

"Alright, Margaret, hire her to start on Monday, if possible, so she can help Sookie prepare for the party next weekend. That's a very important occasion and I don't want her to feel overwhelmed getting ready for it."

"Very good, sir. She'll be here 7 am Monday and we'll work out our schedule."

"Thank you, Margaret. I'm sure Sookie will need help as she adapts to her new roles. This is an excellent idea. You know that she and Mrs. Stackhouse are on their way, yes?"

"Yes, I do. I have the blue bedroom across from the kitchenette all ready for her."

"Wonderful. I'll be in my office if you need anything else. I'll be down when they arrive."

"Very good, sir. I'll call Alicia now."

"Thank you."

Eric was nodding to himself as he ascended the stairs. This really was an excellent idea. Sookie might or might not like the idea, but he was sure that once she had a few occasions where Alicia helped her in ways she couldn't anticipate, she'd understand what an asset such a servant could be. He went into his office in a good mood, anticipating having his "whole family" under roof for the first time. He hadn't had a family in a millennium and the feeling was overwhelming. His thoughts darkened a little as they turned to the Queen's Dark Moon party. He wanted Sookie to be dazzling that night, for her own sake as well as his. Sophie Ann was going to receive several surprises from their new union, and if she liked Sookie, it would all be a bit more palatable.

He answered email and snail mail and left some instructions for Bobby Burnham concerning the hiring of Alicia and the payments for the Stackhouse residence. He added that, since they were at it, he thought Mrs. Stackhouse could use a new Chevy Equinox to replace her old station wagon. He also needed appointments with his accountant and his attorney about the fact that he was getting married and having a child. He asked that Burnham explore what kind of vehicle he might get for Sookie that he would consider safe enough to carry his son, which included being bulletproof. Eric knew he had enemies and, while he couldn't have Sookie guarded every minute of the day, that was at least an extra measure of security she could have if she were out driving with his son in the car.

He wound up on the Internet again, reading about pregnancy, when he found a site called "What to Expect" for expectant mothers. There was a book, which he ordered from Amazon, to accompany the website, which he thought Sookie would enjoy. It occurred to him that to access it, she'd need a computer, so he ordered a MacBook Pro for her, too. He was very excited when he heard them turn into the driveway and went tearing through the house to welcome them. Margaret just beamed and laughed at him as he stood on the landing in the garage, waiting for them to pull in.

Sookie was so excited to be back that she was about to bust and Gran knew it. Sookie was actually tearing up a bit. It was obvious that she loved it here. Gran didn't blame her based on what she saw driving up to the place. It was much grander than she had imagined. As soon as she had the car stopped, Sookie popped out and was in Eric's arms as he said "you are here!"

"Yes, we are!" she giggled and kissed him, then he quickly went around to help Adele out of the car. Once she was on her way into the house, Eric took their bags out of the trunk and followed them in. Adele was stunned when she saw the huge, modern kitchen.

"Oh, my!"

"Isn't it nice?" Sookie asked. "Most of it is new. Eric, you want to give us the tour?"

"Why don't you do it, Sweetheart and I'll follow to help you fill in."

"OK, well, first, Adele Stackhouse, I'd like you to meet Margaret…"

"Murphy," Margaret shook hands with Adele. "Welcome, Mrs. Stackhouse! If you need or want anything at all, you just let me know and I'll be happy to take care of it."

"Oh, thank you!" Adele was a little flustered. Knowing Eric had a maid was one thing, but meeting her face to face was… something. She didn't know a word for it. Not exciting, exactly, but sort of.

Sookie led her in through the den, showing her the huge entertainment center, then they went into the dining room which had just been finished. "Oh, it looks so good in here!" Sookie was jumping up and down when she saw it.

"Did she do it to your specifications, Sweetheart?" Eric wanted her to be pleased.

"Yes! Oh, and look at the china! And the painting over the fireplace! It's wonderful! She did such a good job!"

"It's just lovely, Eric, just lovely!" Adele was almost as excited as Sookie.

"OK, the living room is through here." Sookie directed, and they moved in there. "It's even better now! I love these new chairs!" she jumped over to two rose velvet upholstered chairs in front of the windows facing the couch. She ran her hands over them, "oh they're so soft and they match everything else so well!"

"Oh, my!" Adele thought this was one of the prettiest rooms she had ever seen.

"This is Eric's downstairs office, where he meets with accountants and attorneys. See his library is in here, too, though there are books all through the house. Oh, the stairs…"

"Let's go back through the kitchen and take the elevator," Eric suggested.

"There's an elevator?" Sookie asked

"Yes, it's a service elevator, but Mrs. Stackhouse will want to use it, I'm sure. Come this way." They filed back through the kitchen and into the pantry and Eric showed them how to call it. It was right there, so it opened immediately and they took it to the second floor. "Right this way, Ladies," Eric led them out of the corner bedroom and into the hallway. "That's the linen closet, that's the bathroom. Mrs. Stackhouse, this will be your room," he pointed to the room closest to the stairs, across from the kitchenette.

"Oh, the kitchenette is done!" Sookie loved the way it looked.

"Yes, they finished it Wednesday. It's fully stocked. Take a minute and look around. Mrs. Stackhouse, I'll just put your bag on the bed," he smiled at her and took the bag into the blue room. Sookie and Adele looked around the kitchenette, seeing all the good foods in the fridge and the cupboard. Sookie cracked up, "look, they got me Pop Tarts!"

"They seem to have quite a few of your favorites here, Sookie," Gran was really, really impressed.

"Yeah, Margaret has that list I made for her. There's even a little table and chairs here!"

"This is just lovely. This will be very nice if you have guests staying on this floor."

"Yes, if anyone needs anything in the night, there are many selections for them," Eric was proud they'd done such a good job. "Shall we continue?" They walked back to the elevator and Eric took them to the fourth floor. "This is the fourth floor. We'll go back down to the third floor in a minute. Here is the sauna, the bathroom, the guest room and the meditation room, and down here is my gym." They followed Eric along the hall, both of them just amazed at how nice it was up here. They walked into the gym and the first thing Gran noticed was the swords on the wall at the right end.

"Oh, my! You know how to use a sword?"

"Yes, I am quite skilled with them. I practice a great deal."

"Oh, that's interesting." Adele didn't say it out loud, but she thought she remembered Fintan telling her that Supes often used swords when they were at war with each other. She didn't want to know how or why Eric was so skilled with them.

Eric led them back out to the elevator and took them down to the third floor. "This room is only used for storage, so it's a little messy," he said apologetically as they stepped out, but Adele thought to herself it was the neatest "junk room" she had ever seen. It was bright, orderly and spotless.

"This is my real office. Anything important pertaining to any of my businesses is in here, Sookie, so at some point you should look around and familiarize yourself with it."

"I should?"

"Yes, they will be your businesses, too, when we are married. As far as I'm concerned, they were the minute we bonded, but the law will take a few meetings and filings to catch up with us," he laughed. "This is our bedroom. Sookie, if there's anything you don't like here, you should tell Giselle about it. You can make any changes you like, you know." Eric walked in and put Sookie's bag on one of the chairs by the window.

"I like it fine. Like you said, it's restful. Gran, look at the size of the bed."

"I've never seen a bed that size before."

"Yeah, me, either! It's a California King."

"Yes, I tend to hang off the end of the normal-sized ones," Eric laughed. He knew Adele was a little uncomfortable, so he led them back down. "If you come right down these steps," they followed him, " you see, you are right back at your bedroom. If you'd rather stay on the fourth floor, though…"

"Oh, no, this is beautiful."

"I hope you like it. This room has it's own full bath in it, too." Eric indicated the door at the back of the room and Sookie opened it.

"Look, Gran, you don't even have to go out in the hall if you don't want to."

"Well, it looks very comfortable. I hope you don't mind, but it's getting rather late…"

"Oh, you want to go to bed, Gran? You go right ahead and get comfortable, and you can wake me up when you get up tomorrow, OK?"

"I'll go to ground at sun-up, so Sookie will be alone," he wanted her to know she could go upstairs in the morning without intruding.

"Or, if you get up really early, Margaret will make breakfast for you, right, Eric?"

"Yes, just go on down and tell her what you want. She's more than happy to do it. Please, make yourself at home and help yourself to anything you want. I'll go up now, Sookie, you can come up whenever you're done. Good night."

"Good night, Eric," Adele said.

Eric went back up the stairs in case Sookie needed to talk to her before she said good night.

"Well, Gran, you've seen the whole place. What do you think?"

"It's just wonderful, Sookie, I'm very happy for you."

"And you're OK with everything…" Sookie knew the idea of her sleeping with Eric was hard to deal with for her.

"This is all very new, Honey, but I'm handling it. You go on to bed, and I'll see you in the morning."

"OK, good night, Gran!" Sookie gave her a hug and a kiss and Adele closed the door behind her, She just wasn't going to think about what Sookie would be doing. She was going to take her medicine, and go to sleep, which turned out to be much easier than she expected in that big, comfortable bed.

"Hey, Sweetie!" Sookie said as she came into the room.

"Hey, that was very quick?" He had his boots off and was stripping off his red silk shirt, his leather blazer already on a velvet hanger.

"Yeah, she really likes the house, but she was tired, so I just gave her a hug and a kiss and let her go to bed. She's trying not to think about us sleeping together, you know…" Sookie was bobbing her head and crinkling her nose to show it was understandable and unavoidable. He took the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head, then she headed for her bag over on the chair with it.

"I'm sure that will always be the case, but it will be more acute until we are married, I'm afraid." He kicked his jeans off as she took off her bra and dropped her panties.

"Yeah, so, have you thought about that?"

"Yes, I have. I think it should be very soon." He turned down the bed and slid in, throwing the covers back for her.

"You do?" She got in and slid toward him instantly.

"Yes – unless you do not want that?"

"No, I'd like to do it before I'm showing if we could."

"Showing?"

She patted her tummy. "The baby – I'm going to get fat, you know."

"You are going to get ripe, and I will be more in love with you than ever. I love pregnant women."

"You do?"

"Who doesn't?"

"True, I guess, but I never thought of a vampire liking pregnant women."

"The hormonal changes make them very enticing," he laughed and nuzzled her neck, making her giggle.

"So you're going to be a happy vamp, huh?"

"My dear, I am already the happiest vampire walking," he said and gave her a huge, long, breath-taking kiss.

"Mmmm…" she laughed as he rolled her on her back and kissed her neck, then worked his way down to her breasts. If she only knew how sweet she smelled, tasted, sounded. The only thing that would ever come close to being with her this way was seeing the envy of other vampires when he showed her off. He settled in between her legs and thought he would die of the sweetness.

Sookie didn't want to be loud, but there was no being silent when he did this. She was writhing involuntarily as he licked her, so she reached up and grabbed the headboard to brace herself. He hooked her knees over his shoulders and held her, pushing her until she came on his tongue. Sookie's entire body arched from her hold on the headboard and she had something akin to a small seizure that peaked in her skull.

As soon as she collapsed, Eric was over her and in her, and she wasn't aware that she was digging her nails into his back. He was moving so fast she couldn't even rise to meet his thrusts, he just hammered home until he reached a hard, slamming release. Sookie was glad she had let go of the headboard because it actually hit the wall. After he came, he continued to move slowly, pressing his torn wrist to Sookie's mouth, bringing Sookie along to a soft, but deep, second release. When she relaxed, Eric moved slowly back down and rested his forehead on her lower tummy, and she knew he was thinking about the baby.

"Yep, that's where he is," she laughed breathlessly.

"I know." He looked up at her, leaning to the side on his elbow, stretching his big hand over her womb. "I can't… it's so amazing, Sookie, I almost can't process it. My son is in there, growing, getting bigger and stronger."

Sookie just smiled and stroked his hair.

"He's going to be amazing, you know?" He told her as he stayed focused on her tummy.

"Of course, he is! There won't be anyone like him."

"He's going to be King."

"Oh, he is, huh?" She teased him.

"Seriously – I saw him as King. He's going to look very much like me, and he's going to be King."

"Is that good?"

"Yes, it's very good. Wait until you see him, Sookie, he's going to be magnificent," Eric said with a mixture of awe and excitement and determination. "Not to change the subject, but I have something I have to tell you." He crawled back into his spot and put his arm under her head.

"Good or bad?"

"Good, I hope. I hired another servant who will start on Monday."

"What's he going to do for you?"

"It's more what_ she_ is going to do for _you_."

"For me?"

"Yes. She's a ladies' maid."

"What's that?"

"She'll be a sort of assistant for you. She'll see that your wardrobe is clean and in good repair, and that you have everything you need for your various activities. She'll help you dress and do your hair and makeup on important occasions and she'll be able to advise you on the many things the lady of the house might need to handle."

"You're joking, right?" She looked up at him with disbelief.

"No, I'm not joking. Margaret says she's the best available. She even has some clerical skills that might be useful to you at times."

"Eric, that seems excessive, don't you think?" She didn't know whether to worry about the expense or to take it as an insult.

"No, I think it will take a lot of pressure off of you."

"I'm not under any pressure, Eric."

"May I give you an example?"

"Yes."

"Next Saturday, we are going to a cocktail party at the Queen's estate. What are you going to wear?"

"Well… I don't know… I hadn't really thought about it. I actually… kind of… forgot…"

"Now you don't have to think about it. Alicia will think about it for you."

"What – she's going to buy my clothes?"

"In most cases she'll pick out things that would be appropriate and you'll choose the ones you like, or sometimes you'll go shopping together. She'll take care of your laundry, help you prepare for the wedding and she'll help you acquire things for the baby. She'll keep your things tidy for you and you'll have free time for the swimming pool, reading, shopping, and later on, you can put all your energy into the baby."

"This is not because you're ashamed of me, is it?"

"Sookie, I could not be more proud of you."

"You think I dress poorly?"

"Your clothes are lovely, but as a bride, a married woman, a mother, wife of a vampire Sheriff, you will have a variety of things that you need and keeping it all straight might be stressful. You know stress is not good for the baby. This way, the stress will be minimal."

"So you're telling me that her whole job – what she's getting paid to do – is just to help me be me?"

"Exactly."

"That's crazy."

"It's very common for a woman of your station, Sookie."

"What station?"

"Wife of a wealthy vampire Sheriff."

"How many wives of vampire Sheriffs are there?"

"After we get married, one."

Sookie laughed and he kissed her forehead. "And this is not about you being ashamed of me?"

"No, Sweetheart, this is about me taking care of you. It's me seeing that you have what you need when you need it."

"Even if I don't think I need it?"

"Will you give it a try? For me?" he nuzzled her ear.

"You fight dirty," she laughed.

"The dirtiest," he laughed, "but I really think this will help you a great deal. She has grown children, too, so that's three older women you'll have around who can advise you about the baby. That's wonderful, Sookie."

"Yeah, I guess. I just feel like you think I can't do it myself."

"Sookie, I have no doubt that if you walked out on me right now, and raised the baby yourself, you would do just fine. You would also struggle, though, and you're in a position now where you don't need to struggle. I don't think you've absorbed that yet."

"That I don't need to struggle?"

"Right."

"And she's starting Monday?"

"Yes. She can help your Grandmother when she's here, too."

"Like with laundry and stuff?"

"Yes, anything she needs."

"That would be great. Laundry is a lot for her at her age."

"Yes, and she has finer things to offer to you and my son."

"Finer things to offer…" Sookie repeated.

"Yes, and so do you. My son and I are going to be selfish – we want your time and your energy spent on us."

"Like I'd do anything else," Sookie laughed.

"Exactly. I don't want you wrangling diapers when you could be playing with the baby, enjoying him and teaching him and watching him grow…"

"Now you're using the baby against me?" She laughed. "I honestly don't see how she's going to help me, but if you've already hired her, I guess I'll give it a try and see how it goes."

"Thank you," he kissed her forehead again and gave her a good squeeze.

They whispered to each other about little things concerning the baby and Eric let Sookie gradually drift off to sleep. When she was resting soundly, he wrote her a note and went to rest, feeling very, very lucky.

**An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship**.

~Spanish Proverb


	12. Chapter 12

[A/N: This was the chapter that wouldn't end.

Sorry it took so long, and turned out so long!

Have fun at the party.

Morgaine]

**My Very Art Itself**

**Part 12**

Adele was up by 8 AM so she took a shower, got dressed, and went downstairs.

"Good morning, Mrs. Stackhouse!" Margaret greeted her warmly as she came into the kitchen.

"Good morning. I didn't know if I should bother Sookie, so I thought I'd see if you had some coffee ready?"

"Yes, ma'am, I just made a fresh pot. What would you like to eat this morning?"

"Oh, I don't want to be any trouble…" Adele sat at the table as Margaret motioned to her.

"No trouble at all, Missus." Margaret poured her a cup of coffee and brought it to her at the table. "How would you like a western omelet?"

"Are you sure…?"

"Absolutely no trouble – I just fed the gardener's boys, so I've got everything all ready. It'll take just a few minutes. Would you like to sit by the pool while you wait?"

"No, thank you, I was actually wondering if you had the list of foods for Sookie?"

"Yes, ma'am, it's right here," Margaret brought a fax over from the counter. "You can keep that copy."

"Where are we going to get all these organic foods?"

"Oh, I've already found a good market in the area and we'll order enough that you can take whatever you need for you and Miss Sookie from here. I don't want you to worry about that at all," Margaret reassured her as she whisked three eggs in a bowl with a little milk and poured them into a hot pan that was on the cook top that was installed in the island that ran parallel to the table. .

"They want her to eat so much rare meat!"

"Yes, I think it has something to do with the unusual nature of the baby. If you notice at the bottom, the doctor wants her to try to drink True Blood if she can." Margaret deftly swirled the eggs in the pan, raising the edges with a spatula to let the uncooked part run underneath.

"Oh, my, I hope she can tolerate it, if that's what he needs. She's been sick the last few days."

"Has she taken anything for the morning sickness?"

"No, we only just realized what was going on."

"I've got ginger ale and that Diet Rite cola she likes, so hopefully one of those will settle her stomach. The doctor was very specific about her not taking medications of any sort at this stage." Margaret added cheese, chunks of fried potato and chopped ham to the skillet and began to fold the omelet.

"Is the diet cola still allowed?"

"A little bit. She says not to over-do it with artificial sweeteners. They think the baby will actually have fewer vulnerabilities than a regular baby, but they want us to be careful early on, just in case."

"Well, we want to be sure Sookie follows the doctor's instructions to the letter. She tends to skip meals if you don't keep after her and she fudges on things she knows she should and shouldn't do."

"We'll pay particular attention to that, then, especially since she'll be getting up and staying up late." Margaret expertly turned the omelet out onto a plate.

"Did the doctor make allowances for that?"

"Yes," she explained as she set the plate in front of Adele, "she suggested she eat no later than 2 PM for her first meal, then dinner at about 6 PM, a small meal at 10 PM and another small meal or snack at 2 AM and a glass of milk and some crackers and peanut butter just before she goes to sleep."

"That sounds reasonable. Eric will have to make sure she gets those late meals, so I hope he'll see to that."

"He will, he's very excited. As a matter of fact, he had me open a box from a bookseller today and he already ordered a book on pregnancy for Miss Sookie to read, though I'll bet he reads it before she does," Margaret laughed.

"I'm very glad he's so positive about the whole thing."

"Yes, it's very endearing. It's been my experience that he does everything well, so you can depend on him to rise to the occasion. He thinks ahead and he's already making adjustments. She'll have a ladies' maid beginning Monday that will help her a great deal."

"A ladies' maid?"

"Yes, to help her with her wardrobe and personal things so all she'll need to do is rest, swim, read and eat well. I gather the doctor said she's going to be very tired. I think he's planning to hire a masseuse and/or a personal trainer, too, but I don't know if he's done anything about that yet or not."

"Is all of that really necessary?"

"Not 'necessary,' perhaps – more like 'optimal.' Instead of an adequate situation, Mr. Northman is trying to create an ideal situation for her."

"I'm afraid I'm just not used to all of this. I'm not complaining, and I am grateful, but this all seems so much!" Gran was fiddling with the napkin under her coffee cup, and Margaret could tell she was nervous about everything.

"I can see how it might be a bit overwhelming when you aren't used to the kind of financial resources Mr. Northman has, but look at it this way – he's not an extravagant person, he's a practical one. He wants a happy wife and a healthy son, so he's doing everything in his power to create an environment that supports that goal. If that means getting her help so she doesn't have to spend time washing diapers or cleaning bathrooms with harsh chemicals when she could spend that time with the baby, or even having a healthier baby because Sookie had pure foods, and naps when she needs them and a masseuse to help her body adjust to the pregnancy, and he's easily able to do that, there's really no reason not to. He would see failing to do all that he can as a kind of neglect."

"It's just the complete opposite of everything she's been taught. I hate to see her get spoiled. She was raised to be hard-working and independent."

"Well-heeled and well-cared for doesn't necessarily have to equal spoiled. I'd be very surprised if she became demanding or developed a sense of entitlement. I think she knows she's lucky and she'll continue to appreciate the advantages she has with Mr. Northman. She's always polite and very appreciative for everything we do for her. You've done a fine job raising her, Mrs. Stackhouse. Trust her to take those values with her as she goes forward. Being wealthy is not a bad thing."

Adele laughed, "no, I suppose it's not."

"Hey!" Sookie came through the living room with her hair freshly washed, wearing the blue dress from the night before. "How are you all today?"

"Good morning, Miss Sookie."

"Good morning, Darlin'. Did you sleep well?"

She bent down and gave Adele a kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, like a log. Think I can get away with wearing this again today, Gran?"

"You didn't have it on that long last night – you should be fine for today."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Can I make you something to eat, Miss?"

"Uh – I can't handle eggs…"

"How about a small rare steak, some Texas toast and strawberry jam, fried potatoes and a glass of juice."

"I'm sorry to be a pain, but I can't do orange juice, either…"

"You're not a pain, Miss. I was thinking blueberry pomegranate juice."

"Ooh – that sounds great!"

"Yes, and much easier on a sensitive stomach," Margaret assured her.

"That sounds so good – you're going to spoil me!"

Adele and Margaret laughed, and Sookie looked at them as she took her seat at the table, wondering what was up.

"We were just talking about that," Gran told her, "Margaret assures me she doesn't think you'll get spoiled from all this pampering."

"Am I being a brat? I don't mean to, honest!" Sookie was genuinely alarmed.

"No, no, Honey, you're fine," Adele assured her.

"You just relax, Miss. We want you to tell us what you want so we can make you more comfortable. Your Grandmother and I have been going over the diet the doctor sent over. You're going to be eating very well, though you might get a little tired of rare steak."

"Rare steak – for the baby?"

"Yes, and the doctor wants you to see if you can drink True Blood, too, though I don't know how you'll do it," Gran said with concern.

"If the baby needs it, I'll handle it," Sookie assured them, "I can always just chug it down without breathing if I need to. It's a small price to pay for getting to have Baby E."

"Baby E?" Margaret thought that was enchanting.

"Yes, Eric is the Big E and he's Baby E, for Baby Eric, of course," Sookie patted her tummy and made them laugh.

"They're already sure it will be a boy?" Margaret just wanted to confirm that.

"Yes, and Big Eric is beside himself," Sookie laughed. "I was teasing him night before last, telling him this "MY SON" thing is going to get out of hand and he just laughed about it and said he was perfectly justified."

"Did he tell you about any changes in the staff?" Margaret wanted to know if Sookie knew yet. She put the Texas toast in the large toaster and threw Sookie's steak in a skillet with some butter.

"About the ladies' maid? Yeah. I don't know what she's going to do for me, but I told him I'd give her a try."

"I think you'll like her very much," Margaret told her.

"Do you know her?"

"Yes, I worked with her several years ago. She's very skilled. You'll be very happy to have her help, I'm sure." Margaret was dishing up the fried potatoes as the steak sizzled.

"Is she nice?"

"Very, and very sophisticated. She'll make sure you always look good and have what you need for your activities. She's going to start tomorrow so she can help you prepare for that party next weekend. I understand it's a very important affair."

"I guess. I know it's a fancy thing at the … well, I guess she's Eric's boss, so it's at her house or estate or whatever. There will be a lot of important vampires there, I think."

"It's the first time you'll be meeting his associates, I gather. You'll want to make a good impression." Margaret got a glass of juice from the fridge for Sookie,

"Yeah, I don't want him to be ashamed of me…"

"SOOKIE!" Gran was shocked at that.

"Oh, no, Miss, it's not about that at all! He's very proud of you and can't wait to show you off to his friends. He said they're all going to be green with envy when he walks in with you on his arm, and you'll be the prettiest girl there, by far. He just wants you to feel confident that you're prepared so you can have fun that night instead of worrying about things."

"Yeah, I guess I can see that…"

"Sookie, you know he thinks highly of you, don't you?" Gran didn't want her losing confidence in herself.

"Yeah, I do. To be honest, I really don't know what's expected of me at that thing or how to dress. It _will _be nice to have a little help."

"Do you have to work this week, Miss?" Margaret was putting the rest of the plate together - toast, jam, steak and potatoes.

"No, I'm sort of unemployed now," Sookie laughed.

"Nothing unpleasant, I hope?" She sat Sookie's plate in front of her.

"No, my boss just didn't want me in there wearing an engagement ring that was worth more than the whole bar!"

"Did he give you the ring?!" Margaret was very excited to hear that. "I haven't seen it yet!"

"Yeah, see." Sookie held her left hand up and Margaret's eyes were huge.

"How beautiful! You must have been thrilled when you saw it?"

"I couldn't believe it. I still can't sometimes. I keep wanting to pinch myself to see if it's true." Sookie was digging into her breakfast like she was starving.

"It looks just lovely on your hand, Miss. I'm sure they're top quality stones, too. I know he had it flown in from London, you know." She knew Eric wouldn't have told Sookie about that.

"London, England? Really?"

"Yes, indeed, he had to go to the airport to take receipt of it. I know he went straight from the airport to your dinner together. He was praying nothing would go wrong and it would be on the scheduled flight."

"I had no idea where he got it. So, he really went to trouble to get it, then."

"Yes, he wasn't happy with what was available in the States, so he called a wealthy friend and asked her who her diamond broker was, and then told them what he wanted."

"Wow." Sookie laughed at herself, "I feel like all I say anymore is "wow" – there's just so much amazing stuff going on, it's hard to process. My whole world has evolved in just over a week to a place I never dared dream it could be. It's like being on a rollercoaster that just keeps going up and through another loop and up again. I just hope there's not a big crash coming."

"I don't think there's a crash at the end of the ride, Miss," Margaret teased her.

"I hope I don't come off as dumb. I mean, anybody would be blown away by all this, right?"

"Frankly, Sweetheart, I don't know how you're keeping up with it all. Just watching from the sidelines is overwhelming," Gran told her.

"I need a thesaurus or something to come up with new words," she joked, half-serious, "what else do you say when something just blows you away, and then another and another…?"

"I think "wow" pretty much sums it up," Margaret said proudly. She liked this girl so much. The better she got to know Sookie, the more pleased she was for her boss. He really found a lovely young woman to share his life, and the baby was just icing on the cake for her. It was going to be fun seeing this young family grow.

"So, is it way too early to shop for the baby?" Sookie said apologetically.

"What did you want to get, Sookie?" Gran knew what she wanted.

"I don't know – just a little something to make it real. Some baby clothes or something, maybe a toy or two."

"That doesn't seem unreasonable," Adele and Margaret exchanged a look, knowing Sookie's nesting instinct was already kicking in. She needed something tangible that said "BABY" to focus her energy on.

"What time did you want to leave, Sookie?"

"I'm ready any time. I just need my wallet and I'll bring your bag down if it's ready, Gran."

"It's in the living room, Honey."

"You want to go with us, Margaret?" Sookie cleaned her plate and was getting ready to head upstairs.

"No, thank you, Dear, you go have a good time. You can show me what you bought when you get home. On your way upstairs, look on the desk in Mr. Northman's downstairs office."

"OK – be right back, Gran," Sookie ran through the living room and looked on Eric's desk. YAY! Eric bought a copy of _What to Expect when You're Expecting_! Sookie ran up the stairs to get her wallet and her phone, and bounced back down the stairs. She hesitated at the bottom, wondering if her breakfast was going to come up, but she breathed deeply and slowly for a minute and it didn't. She grabbed the book from the desk and took it back into the kitchen.

"Did Eric buy this?"

"Yes, he ordered it online and it got here very quickly."

"Cool, I'll read it while I'm in the sun tomorrow. Oh, let me run out and see what the pool looks like, OK, Gran?" Sookie didn't really wait for an answer. Adele just waited patiently while Sookie ran out back and she came back practically jumping up and down. "It's so gorgeous out there! That's going to be so great!"

"Do you think you'll be eating dinner here, Miss Sookie?"

"Probably – I want to be back before Eric gets up. Gran and I will probably grab some lunch somewhere after we shop a little."

"I've got your food list, Sookie. If we decide to eat while we're out, we'll try to find a place where you can get a salad and some protein."

"Yes, most places have a chicken Caesar salad that would meet your requirements, and here's a copy you can carry with you, Miss." Margaret handed Sookie her own copy of the diet list.

"Wow – lots of instructions!"

"Yes, and do notice that she asks that you not eat lemons. She said something about a severe allergy being a family trait?"

"Oh, good point! I wouldn't have thought of that. So no lemonade or even tea or pop with lemon. Thanks for pointing that out!"

Adele came back from getting her bag in the living room. "I'm ready when you are, Dear."

"OK, let's go. Thanks so much for that delicious breakfast, Margaret. I'll see you at dinner time, right?"

"Right! Anything special you want?"

"It says I should eat a lot of fish – have you got anything like that?"

"How about a nice salmon steak and some fresh asparagus?"

"Yum! Am I allowed to have French Fries?"

"In moderation, of course. I'll make some fresh ones with the peel if you like them that way."

"Yeah, I love that. 'K, see ya later!" Sookie led Adele out to the garage and put her bag in the trunk of the car. They were only a few minutes from downtown Shreveport once they got on the highway and they decided to start there and see what kind of shops were available. Following some signs, they found their way to the Mall St. Vincent, which had about any kind of store you'd want.

Adele couldn't do a lot of walking, so she'd find a centrally-located seat and snack on a pretzel or have a soft drink and a cookie while Sookie zoomed in and out of the adjacent stores, then they'd move a little farther down the mall or to another level. Sookie didn't buy a lot of clothes, but she did find a couple of sweet dresses in one shop. She bought a sexy hot pink night-y and a cornflower blue satin push-up bra with matching panties at Victoria's Secret, but she found her favorite purchase of the day at GapKids, which was a dark blue "creeper" with a tyrannosaurus "drawn" in light blue "chalk" that said, "I'm kind of a big deal."

"Gran, look at this!" Sookie couldn't wait to show her, and she was practically jumping up and down as she pulled it out of the bag.

"Awww – that's adorable!" Adele bragged on it, loving it almost as much as Sookie did. "It's also true in a way the person who designed it could never have predicted," she joked and Sookie laughed and agreed.

"I can't wait to show it to Eric! He'll bust when he sees it," Sookie sighed, picturing the look on his face when he saw it.

Sookie went a little nuts in Bath & Body Works, buying Eric a pewter shaving set and some aftershave lotions she thought smelled masculine and sexy, then buying a bunch of bottles of anti-bacterial gel and some sexy black raspberry vanilla shower stuff for herself. While she was in Banana Republic, Gran did a little looking of her own in a children's store and bought something she wouldn't show Sookie until they went to have a bite to eat at Roman Delight. Sookie had a salad and she and Gran split a calzone and debated whether they wanted to hit any of the other stores. When they were done eating, Gran gave Sookie the bag with her gift in it, and it turned out to be a blue baby book.

"Oh, Gran! It's so sweet! Thank you so much!" Sookie was teary and hugged her Grandmother tightly.

She tried not to cry too hard, but she knew that Gran was going through a lot of huge changes to make her happy and the enormity of it hit Sookie all at once. Gran knew she was having an hormonal reaction and managed to joke her out of it by getting her to concentrate on shopping together at Dillard's. Sookie insisted on buying Gran a real Dooney & Bourke handbag she was looking at and they stopped in the cosmetics department so she could buy Gran some of her favorite Estée Lauder _White Linen_ cologne. She wound up buying some fancy bubble bath she thought she and Eric might enjoy and she splurged on some Frederick Fekkai hair products and one of his crazy expensive hairbrushes because she had always wanted a really good one.

Their packages were starting to weigh them down, so Sookie and Gran headed for the car and got on the road to Bon Temps. It took them longer than they expected to get on the highway, so after Sookie dropped Adele off and got on her way home, she called to tell Margaret that she was on her way, but she was going to be late. Margaret told her not to rush, that there was no hurry and she wouldn't start the fish until she got there.

Sookie was driving faster than she should, but she didn't get stopped, and she got home about half an hour after dark. Eric was sitting at the table when she came in, trying to act as if he hadn't been pacing the floor. Lonnie, the gardener's helper, carried Sookie's packages in behind her, leaving them on the kitchen table where Eric indicated.

"Eric! I'm sorry I wasn't back before you got up!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him.

"Hello, Sweetheart. That's alright, Margaret told me you and your Grandmother spent the day shopping."

"I'll start your dinner, Miss."

"Thanks, Margaret. Yeah, Eric, I spent some on the card – that's OK, right?"

"Yes, of course it is! Did you have fun?"

"Yes, and I got some things for you and – OH! I forgot! Wait 'til you see it!" She started to rummage through the bags on the kitchen table. She had put some bags inside of bags when they divvied their stuff up at Gran's house but it didn't take her too long to find the little body suit for the baby. "Look!" She held it up proudly, letting him take it.

""I'm kind of a big deal."' Eric read with a big smile on his face. "Yes, he will be a very big deal, even when this tiny thing fits him," he laughed.

"Yeah, this is the smallest they make, 0 to 3 months, so he'll be able to wear it right from the start." She held it down over her tummy. "It's hard to believe he's going to fit this before he's ready to come out!"

Eric laughed as he helped her take things out of bags and get rid of boxes and wrapping and tags. He loved hearing her chatter about her purchases, telling him why she bought what she did and especially why she chose the things she did for him. When she slowed down a little, he asked "how are you feeling today, Sookie? Were you sick?"

"I had a few pretty intense waves of nausea, but I never really threw up, which was good."

"Ooh – I like this," he held up the hot pink nightgown and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"I was hoping you would," she teased him and kissed him again.

"Mmmm" he hummed with approval as he pulled the satin underwear out of the bag. "Did you eat anything while you were out?"

"I had a salad and split a calzone with Gran."

"What is that?"

"It's basically pizza dough stuffed with a mixture of cheeses."

"Margaret, does that work with her diet?"

"There's nothing in one that would hurt her. She's allowed to have cheese for the calcium, then the bread is fine and they're usually baked."

"Yeah, it was."

"So no harm done. She'll eat lots of this fresh asparagus I'm making and the fish, and that will round out what she's had today. Miss Sookie, I'll be leaving a large salad with chopped turkey for you to eat at 10, then you'll have a fruit salad at 2 and peanut butter and crackers for just before you sleep."

"That's a lot of food," Sookie said, wondering if she could eat all of that.

"You need to eat often for the baby, Sookie," Eric stated the obvious.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'll try to eat all those times. I may not be able to eat much so late, though."

"Well, let's try this schedule the doctor gave us for a few days and see how it goes?" Margaret suggested, as she put Sookie's plate in front of her while Eric piled things to the side in one large bag.

"Yeah, we'll do that. Ahhh-hhhhhh!" Sookie let out a big yawn.

"Sookie, you might want to try to sleep for a while after you eat. The doctor said you'd be very tired," Eric said with concern as he gently brushed her hair back from her face.

"I don't want to waste time I could be spending with you sleeping, Eric. I'm OK, it's just warm in here."

"I don't want you struggling to stay awake, Sweetheart. When you feel sleepy, just doze off. I can work those hours and then we'll be together when you are comfortably awake. I'm working things out so I can do most of my work here so I'm available to you at nights. I'll still need to go to Fangtasia on Wednesdays and Saturdays, though."

"I can come, too, though, since I'll be living here, right?"

"Right." He smiled," though I don't expect you to go every time. You'll want time to yourself or to spend with your Grandmother, and, again, you will be tired."

"Yeah, I don't want to be a drag, though…" Sookie was already almost done with the salmon steak.

"Doing what you need to do for my son to be healthy is not being a "drag," Sookie. You need to be well-rested for him."

"Yeah. You know, I was looking at some baby stuff at the Mall today. There's a lot to buy for a baby."

"You will have Alicia to help with that starting tomorrow, right, Margaret."

"Yes, sir. She'll be here at 7 and I'll show her the house and Miss Sookie's diet and she'll start seeing to her needs immediately."

"I brought some more clothes from home, by the way – I guess I should put them away?"

"She'll take care of that, dear. We'll just set them by the closet and leave it to her. She'll want to know what you have so she knows what you need. I believe you and she will be going shopping at least one day this week, too."

"Oh, OK…" Sookie was munching on the fries Margaret made in between munching stalks of asparagus, both of which she was eating with her fingers.

"She told me she has some items on hold at one of the specialty shops in town that might be appropriate for next weekend."

"Wow – already?"

"Yes, when Mr. Northman gave me the go ahead, she started looking for formal things in your size. I think she's planning to take you Tuesday so there will be time to have alterations made if need be."

"What if I don't like anything she picks out?"

"Then you keep shopping. I think you'll like what she picks though, Miss, she has very good taste. Her job is to make you look good, and part of that is learning what you like and what looks good on you. After she gets to know you, she'll be able to shop and know what you'd buy if you were there yourself."

"OK, I'll take your word for it," Sookie laughed. She still couldn't wrap her mind around it.

"I know you aren't comfortable with the idea yet, Sookie, but you'll like it once you're used to it," Eric explained, "she'll also help you with the wedding and setting up your nest…"

"My nest? Oh – you mean 'nursery?' Yeah, that will be good. Like you said, I'll have three women around who have had kids. Between Gran and Margaret and… Alicia, is it?... I'll have plenty of people to ask questions, and boy, do I have questions!" Sookie laughed. "I was thinking about things as I was driving home alone and I realized "I don't know nothing about birthin' no babies.""

She and Margaret laughed but Eric didn't get the joke.

"That's from Gone with the Wind."

" A book?" he asked

"Yes, but the movie is really famous – you've never seen it?"

"No."

"Put that on our 'must see' list, then. You can't live in the South without seeing that movie."

"Alright. I ordered a book for you…"

"Yeah, I saw it! That was so sweet of you!" She gave him a big kiss. "I'll read it while I lie in the sun this week."

"Good. I want to read it, too. There's also a website by the same author you'll want to explore," he told her.

"Am I allowed to use your computer?"

"You could, of course, but you'll have your own laptop."

"Huh?"

"Yes, it should be here Tuesday or Wednesday."

Sookie just looked at him. Why would he buy her a laptop? "You think I need a computer?"

"Of course – you'll need it for shopping, checking your email, looking at websites for mothers, medical questions, planning our wedding – have you thought about that, by the way?"

"I haven't asked her yet, but how would you feel about having it at Gran's house, like, out in the yard?"

"If that's what you would like, that's fine with me."

"Did you have other ideas?"

"Only if you wanted to travel – we could do New Orleans, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Paris…"

Sookie laughed, "I never even thought of anything like that. Honestly, though, I want Gran and Jason there, so it should be close to home."

"Alright, then, confirm it with your Grandmother the next time you talk to her and set a date. As soon as you have that done, I'll arrange my calendar around it."

"OK, so if we only have 22 weeks, and I don't want to be showing, it's going to need to be no later than 12 weeks, right?"

"More like 8 or 9 weeks," Margaret figured, "I'd say you've got 2 months for the wedding, then your last few months you'll want to concentrate on the nursery."

"Two months is not a lot of time," Sookie said, suddenly realizing what this would take.

"Remember that you have Alicia and you can hire anyone you need to set up the event," Eric told her. "You'll want a caterer to do the cooking, and if Alicia finds it's too much, you can hire a wedding planner, too, for other things."

"Caterer, yes, so Gran doesn't try to cook. All I need other than that is some invitations, a dress, a few decorations and flowers… I don't want anything fancy, except maybe the dress," Sookie laughed.

"Don't skimp on anything, Dear One – get exactly what you want. You'll want video and photographs, too."

"Right – that's not a huge amount of things. I know people make a big huge deal about weddings, but we don't have to go crazy. It'll be mostly friends from Merlotte's and school and Gran's club and church. We'll have some good dance music and a lot of crawfish and shrimp, and just make it fun."

"That sounds very pleasant," Eric smiled at her, paying more attention to the sound of her voice than what she was actually saying.

"You'll come, won't you, Margaret?" Sookie asked hopefully.

"If you want me to, Miss," Margaret was tickled to be included.

"Yeah, of course I do, you're family! Eric, you'll need to invite people from Fangtasia and some other people you know or work with, right?"

"Yes, if you don't mind, I have several people who should be included in such an occasion. You do realize I am the first Sheriff in the Americas to wed, yes?"

"Is that what you meant when you said I'd be the only wife of a Sheriff?"

"Yes. Our situation is unique in several ways. We want to be sure we don't neglect certain important people when we make our plans."

"Of course not. You should start working on your guest list right away, and I'll get mine together, too."

"Good idea, because you'll have to order invitations almost immediately."

"Right. So we're looking at what, the end of June?"

"That sounds about right, Miss."

"Wow – that also means I'm going to be pregnant in the hottest part of the year!"

"Fortunately, you have a pool and good air conditioning, so that will make you a great deal more comfortable," Margaret reminded her.

"Yeah – I'm not used to having air conditioning. That's going to be great!"

"Your Bon Temps house has no air conditioning?" Eric had never thought about that.

"No. We always talked about buying one to put in the window, but we never did."

"You should buy one for your grandmother. It will make her a great deal more comfortable," Margaret suggested.

"Yes, we'll see that's taken care of soon. How many will she need?"

"I'd suggest a minimum of one for the bedroom and one for the living room," Margaret told him as she took Sookie's plate.

"Sookie, find out when it's convenient and I'll send Howard and the boys to install them for her."

"OK, great! I know she'll sleep a lot better if she's got one. Margaret, this dinner was just fantastic."

"Oh, thank you, Dear. Did you want dessert?"

"Actually, I think I'll skip it since I'm supposed to eat more later."

"Alright, your meals for later on will be in the fridge labeled with the times you're supposed to eat them. Mr. Northman, I've got everything done. If you don't mind, I'll start the dishwasher and head home for the night."

"Thank you so much for your help, Margaret."

"Yeah, I really appreciate everything you're doing for me!"

"Alright, good night, then!" Margaret went to the pantry for her purse and her little jacket and went out the sliding back door with a wave.

"Where's she going?"

"To the garage."

"But it's that way…"

"That's the main garage. There's an extra garage out back that looks like an old barn. I had it converted so servants can park there."

"Oh, that's what that is? What about this long building to the right?"

"Old servant's quarters. The gardener and his men use it for storing their personal things and eating lunch or dinner."

"What's the little house to the left with the porch?"

"That's what they call a "summer kitchen."

"It's really old then."

"Yes, but I had it reinforced. It's used for storage at the moment."

"Is the porch sturdy?"

"Yes, very – why?"

"Can we put a porch swing on it?"

"If you'd like, of course. What kind do you want?"

"A white one made of wood. I like the kind with the straight slats, you know?"

"I think I know what you mean. I'll find one on line and you can approve it before I order it, alright?"

"Cool. I always wanted my own porch swing. We were always afraid it would damage our porch, our house is so old."

"That's easy enough to accomplish here. I can see you and your Grandmother sitting on a swing talking about babies and weddings," he teased her, nuzzling her ear.

"So what are we doing now-OOWWW?" Sookie let out a huge yawn.

"I think we should choose a movie and watch it in bed."

"Because you think I'll fall asleep before it's over?"

"Yes."

"I'd argue, but I am kind of tired."

"What kind of movie do you want to watch?"

"What's the shortest Jane Austen movie?"

"Probably _Persuasion_. I remember a copy of that in there from the other night."

"OK, grab it and let's go up. My feet hurt."

"Wait right here." Eric zipped into the other room at vampire speed and was back with the movie, scooping Sookie up out of her seat before she realized it. He let her grab the bag of new things and flew her upstairs quickly, dropping her playfully on the bed as she laughed, she hoping silently that her dinner would stay down. He pulled her sandals off her feet and then pulled the little dress over her head. She disposed of her bra and panties as Eric turned the bed down and she crawled in as he undressed. Eric unwrapped the video and threw the cellophane in the basket on Sookie's side of the bed, then raised the TV and slipped it into the slot at the side.

"Hey, what's that?"

"That's where the DVD player is."

"It's built-in?"

"Yes," he told her as he sat beside her and got under the covers.

"And that one remote controls all of it?"

"Yes, see…." He took his time and explained to her how to raise the TV, control it, how to set it to control the DVD player.

"Thanks. I might want to use that some time if I'm not feeling good."

"Of course – if you ever feel sick or just want to sleep in, have someone bring you a movie. Or, if you want, bring a few you'd like to see up here and keep them on your nightstand so they're here when you want them."

"I might do that. I've never been one to sleep in, but I have to be honest, I'm wiped out and I know I was on my feet too much today. I might need to be lazy tomorrow."

"Be lazy the whole pregnancy, Sookie. I'm going to stay after you to get enough rest, so don't be surprised if Alicia and Margaret try to get you to spend a lot of time in bed. The doctor was very specific. She said this baby will draw a lot of energy from you – much more so than a normal baby."

"She might be right."

"Have no doubt that she's right, Sookie."

"When do I get to meet her?"

"I can summon her now, if you want."

"We're naked!"

"She won't care. Supes are very casual about nudity. She'll want to examine you, anyway…" Eric's house phone rang. "Hold on," he told her as he stopped the video and picked up the handset. "Yes, doctor, we were just talking about you. She's worried that we are not dressed. Yes. Alright, 5 minutes." He hung up the phone. "The doctor will be here in five minutes. Here," he got up and went to the table beside the bed, where he had put Sookie's new purchases. He pulled out the hot pink gown and said, "put this on – she said no panties."

"Yikes. She's going to do a real exam, huh?" Sookie hurried into the gown.

"Oh, yes. She'll need intimate knowledge of what is happening with you and the baby."

"Put your pants on, please? Did she know we were talking about her?"

"It's possible." He went back around to get his jeans.

"That's a little freaky."

"You'll understand when you meet her. I told you, she doesn't look human."

"What does she look like?"

"An elf, maybe, or a troll? I've never asked her affiliation."

"Would that be considered rude?"

"A bit, if the situation did not require such information."

POP

There was suddenly a strange – and he wasn't kidding – little woman with a big carpetbag at the end of the bed.

"Northman," she nodded.

"Doctor Ludwig, please allow me to present my fiancée, Sookie Stackhouse."

"How are we doing, little girl? Niall was right, you're a very pretty little thing. Stick your tongue out for me?"

Sookie did and the doctor looked at it very closely. "Hmm – you are avoiding citrus, I hope?"

"Yes, I can't stand the smell of orange juice all of a sudden."

"It's just as well. You know no lemons under any circumstances, yes? And nothing with added iron. No cooking with iron skillets or pots, either. Alright, lie back and let's see how you're doing."

Ugh. Sookie scooted down in the bed as the doctor pulled back the covers. She felt Sookie's throat, then held her stethoscope on her breastbone, abdomen, womb and then did the dreaded internal, pressing on her womb with one hand as she pressed inside with the other.

"You're moving right along. I think you can forget about a nine-month pregnancy. I'll be very surprised if it goes 6 months."

"We were talking about that possibility earlier," Eric told her, "we were thinking that we'd better have the wedding within two months."

"Wedding? Are you actually going to marry?" The doctor was shocked.

"Yes, I think we must."

"Niall said you were thinking that way, but I didn't believe you'd go through with it. And you're already bonded, I see?" She was pressing on Sookie's legs to check for swelling.

"Yes, and very happy to be so," Eric smiled affectionately at Sookie.

"Have you broken the news to Sophie Ann yet?" She rotated each of Sookie's feet in turn and looked closely at her toes.

"No, I was planning to do that at her Dark Moon observation."

"Think very carefully about how you go about it. Don't put her in a position where she embarrasses herself in front of others, or she'll never forgive you. You can't be insensible to her feelings for you?" The little doctor was nearly scolding him as she looked closely at Sookie's fingernails.

"I am not, however, I have never sought such attentions from her..."

The little doctor checked Sookie's glands in her throat. "That doesn't make a whit of difference and you know it. You've most certainly enjoyed the benefits of them. Are you prepared for backlash?"

"From Sophie Ann? No. From André, always."

"Is there any truth to Niall's theory that Sophie Ann wanted this girl for herself?"

"Possibly. I'm sure she wanted control of her ability."

"You're a telepath, yes? Has the pregnancy affected that at all?"

"It might be a little stronger, but I'm not sure."

"I want you keeping notes. This pregnancy is historic. We've no record of it happening before. Get her a journal Northman and both of you write in it. I want to know everything that happens. Niall already has protection around Sookie and the baby, but I think you need to sweet talk Sophie Ann into protecting them by decree as well. It might help if she announced the pregnancy. It would emphasize that it really is your child."

"She'll offer protection if she wants Sookie to employ her talents for her."

"Don't be over-confident, Northman. There's too much at stake here."

"I know this child will be a deliverer," Eric said confidently as Sookie gave him a look of curiosity.

"Then you know people's lives depend on him growing up. You may have to do some things you don't want to do to see that he does."

"Such as?"

"Seizing power."

"You don't expect me to oppose Sophie Ann?"

"Who said anything about Sophie Ann? Keep your eyes and your ears open, Northman. Things change when you least expect it."

"Indeed?"

"I'd like an invitation to the reception at Fangtasia, by the way."

"Reception?"

"Yes, if you're going to marry, you'll need to present your new bride to your area after you are wed. It could be the most important night of your life," she turned back to Sookie, "you get lots of rest, eat well, stay off your feet. No more days like today, you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sookie said, thinking it was not like she would actually argue with this odd little thing.

"Alright, Niall will be calling you with the name of a masseuse who can also act as personal trainer. Hire her. Call if you need me." And she was gone.

"What was that?" Sookie was in shock that she just disappeared like that.

"That was Dr. Ludwig being Dr. Ludwig. Many Supe elders are that way. They say their piece then disappear before you can ask questions. It can be quite irritating," he said as he kicked his pants off.

"What did you mean "deliverer?"" Sookie pulled the covers back for him.

"One who leads in a revolt or a war to save his people."

"Is that definite?"

He slid into bed and looked her straight in the eye. "Yes, it's his destiny."

"You know this? Before he's even born?"

"Yes, I knew it the minute I knew him to be mine." He stroked her cheek softly as they lay facing each other, speaking softly.

"What if I don't want that?"

"Do you want the baby?"

"Absolutely!"

"Then you must accept his destiny. Don't worry, Sookie, I told you – he will be magnificent."

"OK, and what's this bit about Sophie Ann's feelings for you and seizing power?"

"Sophie Ann has wanted me for half a century or so. I could be her consort if I chose to, but I chose you instead. She might be unhappy about that. Her current consort is jealous of me, so he's always a danger that must be considered. That might not matter if I understood what Ludwig just implied."

"What did she imply?"

"A coup or an assassination."

"By you?"

"No, but I might have to oppose the person who seeks to take Sophie Ann's throne."

"Why you?"

"I'm the logical person to do it. I'm her most powerful Sheriff. If she is attacked, I will protect her. If she is killed, I will avenge her."

"Because it's your job?"

"No, Sookie, because she is my Queen. You can't expect anything less of me. This is who I am."

"You know I don't understand all of this… what do you even call it? Politics? War?"

"War IS politics, Sookie. I hold a political appointment. I have pledged fealty to my Queen. I will not hesitate to do what I must."

"What about your son?"

"When the time is right, he will do what he must, too. We are warriors, Sookie. That will not change."

"What if he's not a warrior?"

"Sookie, I will love my son, no matter what or whom he is, but I already know him to be a warrior."

"And Niall and Dr. Ludwig know all about this?"

"Niall, possibly with the help of Dr. Ludwig and definitely with the help of Freyja, made this all possible. They all know. If you will stop and think, Sookie, you know, too."

"Because I'm Freyja or part of Her or connected to Her or whatever?"

"Yes."

"What if I don't believe any of it?"

"It will still come to pass. The dice have been thrown."

"I want to talk to someone about this. Did I tell you that Niall said I'll teach the baby magick?"

"No, you didn't, but it doesn't surprise me."

"I know absolutely nothing about magick, Eric."

"You know nothing _yet_."

"It's something you can learn? You don't have to be born with it?"

"You were born with it, Sookie, you just haven't been taught how to use it."

"Have you known this all along?"

"Not exactly, but I always suspected that your telepathy was just the tip of the iceberg."

"OK, so who can I talk to?"

"I might be able to introduce you to a Witch."

"A real Witch?"

"Yes, a real one."

"When?"

"At Sophie Ann's party."

"This coming weekend?"

"Yes, if you can wait until then."

"Where does she live?"

"New Orleans."

"I guess I'll have to wait. Will she definitely be there?"

"Yes, we have an appointment of sorts."

Suddenly, it dawned on Sookie. "You were already going to talk to her, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"About me or the baby?"

"All of it."

"Why?"

"Confirmation. And to see if I missed anything."

"That book you ordered got here really fast."

"Yes, it did. There's a distribution center near here so they often arrive very quickly."

"Are there books about magick? Can you get me one?"

"Yes. Here, let me send her a text and get the name of one for you." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text message to Amelia Broadway as they continued to talk.

"So, do you have this Witch on retainer like you do the doctor?"

"Not yet."

"Have you met her?"

"Not yet."

"How did you find her?"

"Sophie Ann recommended her."

"Does she know what it was for?" Sookie yawned again.

"No, I told her it was a personal issue that had nothing to do with my office."

"You lied to her?"

"No, at the time I thought the matter really was private. It was before I knew about the baby or Niall's connection to you."

"So you were going to talk to her about me, then?"

"Yes."

"Because you didn't trust me?"

"No, Sweetheart, because I wanted to be sure I was right about who you are. I have no doubt, but I am in the habit of being very thorough, so I was going to seek independent verification."

"Did you make your appointment before or after we bonded?"

"Before."

"But you didn't cancel it?"

"I still want to talk to her about how this sort of thing works."

"Like whether there are rules or something?"

"Something like that."

"What if you're wrong?"

"I'm not – Niall confirmed it all for me. Still, I would like more information from a source other than Niall."

"Me, too. I don't trust him."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was afraid you would favor him because he's your Grandfather."

"Loving him and trusting him are two different things. I have other family that I don't trust, either, but I still love them."

He reached up and kissed her on the forehead. "I love how smart you are."

"Yeah, right – I was just saying today that I hope I don't come off as dumb because it seems as if all I say anymore is "WOW,"" she laughed.

"You've gone through some extreme things since we first met – anyone would be at a loss for words. Don't be so hard on yourself." He kissed her lips softly and then told her, "Now, let's watch the movie and forget about all this intrigue for the night."

"Sounds good to me," she purred as she snuggled up against him and he started the movie. She was asleep in less than 10 minutes. Eric lay with her a while to be sure she was sleeping soundly before he tried to move. He let the movie continue to play and stepped into his office, knowing he'd hear her if she woke up. He worked for a good three hours before he heard her turn over and say his name softly.

"Eric?"

He was by the bed instantly, smiling softly, "hey, sleepyhead."

"Did you get some work done, at least?"

"Yes, I've been very productive and I've been checking on you occasionally. How do you feel?"

"I don't know," she laughed softly.

"Can you eat something?"

"Yeah, actually, I am a bit hungry."

"I'll go get your salad."

"Don't forget the blue cheese dressing, please?"

Eric zipped down to the kitchen, and got back as Sookie restarted the movie, zooming up to the last part she remembered seeing. Sookie cracked up when Eric came back with a beautiful tray for her – salad, bottled dressing, fork, glass of ice, can of soda, napkin and a pink rose.

"Now that's what I call service!"

"There's nothing too good for the mother of my son," he teased as she sat up and he unfolded the legs of the tray so she could eat.

"I can't believe you even brought me a glass of ice and a straw!"

"I can't take too much credit – Margaret left me a note of what you would need and had the tray mostly assembled."

"She really DOES think of everything."

"Believe me, it won't be long before you will find her as indispensible as I do."

"She's an awesome cook, too. This salad is amazing! She took some of the stuff I brought with me and added all kinds of good stuff to it. There are toasted pecans in this!"

They watched the movie as Sookie munched happily on her salad but she actually dozed off before she was done eating. Eric took the tray away and left it on the dresser, then lifted Sookie and moved her down in the bed a bit so she wouldn't hurt her neck. He let the movie play to its conclusion again then he put the TV away and turned out the light in the headboard.

He spent some time filling up Sookie's new iPod, and he answered some email from the New Orleans office regarding new subjects moving into his area. He was cruising the Internet looking for more baby information when it occurred to him that the baby needed a nursery. Thinking of the unused rooms, he decided that the storage room next to their bedroom would be the logical place for a baby's room, so he wrote Sookie a note and told her to plan on using it, and left a message for Alicia and Margaret that they should have the stuff in the room moved into the basement. He knew that the baby romper Sookie bought that day was only the first of many things she'd accumulate for the baby in the coming months, so he'd make sure she had a nesting place to gather it all.

He smiled as he remembered the joy in her face when she had shown the little suit to him, and he was looking forward to seeing that bright smile and those slightly teary eyes many times between now and … October? That would be about six months from now, and Ludwig said the baby would be here before six months so maybe they'd have a Halloween baby! It occurred to him that Sophie Ann would especially hate that and he was surprised that he found that amusing. He would have expected not to care one way or the other. Anyway, he went to rest that day with the feeling that all was right in his world.

**

"Yes, as you can see, Mr. Northman cleared half of the closet here and the entire dresser is available for her."

Sookie heard voices as she tried to open her eyes, but she passed back out again.

**

"Miss Sookie? Can you wake up now?"

Sookie looked up and realized this tall brunette woman must be the new maid. She was embarrassed at being caught naked again, but she was more interested in making the best impression she could. "Hi – you're Alicia, I guess?"

"Yes, Miss, it's very nice to meet you."

"Well, welcome to the family," Sookie laughed.

"Thank you, Miss. Your orders from the doctor say you're supposed to have your first meal no later than 2 PM, so I brought this up for you. This steak is very rare – if you'd like, I can…"

"Oh, no, that's OK – I'm supposed to have it that way for the baby," Sookie smiled as she set the tray across her lap. "So, I guess Margaret showed you around and everything?"

"Yes, Miss, and I've already got your clothes squared away. Margaret said she told you that we'll need to go shopping tomorrow so you can try on the clothes I have on hold for you?"

"Yeah, do I need to get up early for that?"

"I'll get you up at noon – that should give us plenty of time. I noticed you didn't seem to have any evening purses or dressier shoes here, so I assume we'll need several complete outfits?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Any idea how long before I'll need maternity clothes?"

"Margaret and I were thinking you've got a couple of months before that's necessary, but I'll make sure you have a couple of things on hand now, just in case. Here, you have a note from Mr. Northman," she handed her the envelope from the dresser.

"Thanks," Sookie said as she took the envelope and opened it. "I don't know what I'm supposed to ask you and what not to, so you're going to have to bear with me…"

"You just relax, Miss. I'm here to help you figure all those things out. Nothing you ask will offend me and there's no such thing as a silly question, OK?"

"OK, for example, Eric leaves me a lot of these notes and I want to keep them in some kind of special box or something. You wouldn't have any ideas about that, would you?"

"Yes, I think you might want a little cedar box, of the sort they give to brides, that's large enough to hold quite a few of them, or you could get a full size cedar chest for those and other keepsakes you'll acquire as you go along."

"A cedar chest… yeah, Gran has one of those. That's a really good idea."

"We can see what's available while we're out tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Yeah, I would. I guess it should match this room, huh?"

"Well, that's kind of a personal item, so if you find one you really love, get it even if it doesn't match. You might change the look of the bedroom some day."

"Yeah, Eric was telling me to talk to Giselle if I didn't like this room, but honestly, there's so much going on, I can't even begin to think about it." Sookie confided as she sawed into her steak.

"I understand you've been through quite a few changes in a very short time. It would be easy for anyone to be overwhelmed by a new relationship, a new home and now a new baby. Just remember that you've got lots of help. You've got me to help you keep yourself together and Margaret to look after the house. You've got your Grandmother for emotional support, and you've got Mr. Northman, who apparently goes to great lengths to see that you have what you need…"

"Yeah, so far, he really does."

"That's a really good support system you've got going. We're not going to let you flounder, Hon, so you relax and enjoy all this good stuff. We've got your back."

"Thank you! I don't want to seem like a bumpkin, you know what I mean?"

"Yes, and I understand that Mr. Northman's associates are very wealthy. I'll tell you a secret, though – you're already miles ahead of the game."

"I am?"

"Yes – you've got good manners. It wouldn't matter how you dressed if you didn't treat other people kindly, but you do without even thinking of it. With a solid foundation like that, all we need to do is make the outside match the inside."

"You can tell that already?"

"Yes – you welcomed me before you were even awake," Alicia laughed. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"Oh, no, thank you. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Well, if you're up to it, I'd like to get an idea of what kind of clothing you like. I know what Mr. Northman's requirements are, but I need to know what you like and what you don't." Alicia sat in one of the side chairs by the table.

"What did Eric tell you?"

"Mostly that nothing is to be too short. He prefers skirts and dresses, but he wants a little coverage on your lower half…"

"Yeah, I knew about that one…"

"He said he prefers tops that bare your shoulders and emphasize your bust, especially in evening wear…"

"OK, that I didn't know…"

"And he prefers that you not wear black."

"Yep, knew that one," Sookie laughed. "All the women he meets in his club wear black and he's sick of it. He likes it when I look like I'm going to a church picnic."

"Very feminine and pretty "like a summer day," is the way he put it."

"Aw – that's sweet."

"Yes, it is. And I hear your favorite color is pink."

"Yep, I love it. I'm not like, obsessive about it, but it's a really strong preference," Sookie laughed.

"What other colors do you like?"

"bright and light blue, turquoise, peacock colors, purple, red sometimes. I don't like browns or grays and I'm not crazy about green except for an occasional Kelly green item I'll see now and then. Pastels are good, but I'm not crazy about muted colors, if you know what I mean…"

"Yes, I think I know what you mean. What shapes do you like?"

"I like stuff that's low-cut and I always wear a bra, though I need better ones and I don't know where to get them. I prefer full skirts, above the knee, and I guess I won't be wearing shorts much because Eric wouldn't think they cover enough. I'd like a few to wear around the house, though. I also need some more bathing suits and cover-ups because I plan to spend a lot of time in the pool and I've only got one suit. I'd like to have two pairs of jeans in case I need them, but that won't be frequent. I like high heels when I can get away with them. If I never see another pair of tennis shoes, it will be too soon. That was all I could wear at my old job and I'm sick of them."

"Do you play tennis or have any other sports you do?"

"No, because I was always working. Most of my exercise will probably involve floating in the pool," Sookie laughed. "Eventually, I might want a good treadmill, but for right now, I want to rest. I can't believe how tired I am."

"That's to be expected in your condition."

"My condition," Sookie said softly as she patted her tummy. "I never thought of it that way. The idea of being pregnant is so foreign to me. I bought a little baby suit, though, to make it seem real."

"With the dinosaur? It's in your top right drawer in the dresser there. It's very sweet."

"Eric loved it. He tries not to get misty about the baby, but he does. It's so cute!"

"I hear he's very tall?"

"About 6 foot 5, I think, and he's really gorgeous. He has long blond hair and amazing blue eyes, and arms like tree trunks. He's like something from a romance novel."

"That's the way Margaret described him. I've only spoken to him on the phone, but he was very kind and generous."

"You'll like him – every woman that sees him does. My Gran even flushes a little bit around him," Sookie laughed and Alicia joined her.

"It's a gorgeous day out, Miss. You could probably get in some time in the pool if you want to."

"Good idea. I need some sun. Sunbathing is my only vice," Sookie laughed as she finished her breakfast. Alicia took her suit out of the top left drawer and got her one of Eric's white shirts to use as a cover-up since the gardeners were around. While Sookie went to the bathroom and put her suit on, Alicia took a pink package out of the bottom left dresser drawer and pulled a pink "eco" grocery tote out of it, then put Sookie's iPod, some sunscreen, her book from her nightstand, a Carmex lip balm and a pony tail holder.

Sookie came out of the bathroom rarin' to go, and Alicia presented her with the bag then followed slowly as Sookie bopped down the stairs to head for the pool.

"Hey, Margaret! Good breakfast!" She said as she rushed through the kitchen.

"Good morning, Miss," Margaret called after her, laughing.

"She's fast!" Alicia laughed as she came into the kitchen.

"Like a hurricane," Margaret agreed. "She loves the sun, that one does."

"The fresh air is good for her. You know, water aerobics is very good for expectant mothers…"

"You should mention that to Mr. Northman."

"I will. What does she like to drink?"

"That soda pop in the blue cans."

"Alright, I'm going to take a glass out to her. I don't want her getting dehydrated. You said she can't have lemonade, right?"

"No, but she can have an occasional sweet tea. That would be better for her than soda."

"Yes, it would. Do you have any made up?"

"Yes, in the fridge there."

"Alright, I'll take her a glass of that. I don't trust those artificial sweeteners."

It was a perfect, hot spring day and Sookie was reveling in having a pool all to herself. There was a rack with a selection of pool toys, so she grabbed an air mattress first thing and was floating when Alicia brought out the tea and set it where Sookie could reach it from the pool.

Sookie was only able to float face up about half an hour before she felt nauseous. She rolled off the mattress and tried to focus and keep her breakfast down, holding onto the side of the pool, sipping the sweet tea slowly. Eventually, her stomach felt stable enough to hold onto the mattress sideways and float, which she did for hours, lost in her thoughts. Part of her was really excited about having a baby, but a larger part of her was afraid. She realized she knew nothing about kids and she dreaded the pain of childbirth. She knew that when the time came, she'd get through it, but the anticipation was not going to be fun. She made up her mind to focus on after the birth, having a sweet little boy who looked like Eric. She also decided that she was glad Eric ordered her a computer. She was going to do what he was doing and use the Internet to learn as much as she could about babies. No matter what else happened in her life, Sookie was going to make damned sure that she was a good mom.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the situation couldn't be much more ideal. She'd be able to give this baby everything she and Jason never had growing up. She and Eric were bonded, so she knew he'd be faithful and never leave them. She'd never have to worry about money or housework. The only real problems she saw came from the Supe world. Niall was too involved in it all for her tastes, which was bad enough, but she still hadn't really experienced Eric's world where other vampires were concerned. She was actually very glad to have Alicia's help getting ready for the Queen's party. She wanted to make a good impression that night so Eric would be proud of her. She knew he had an important position and she knew, from the way Bill and Eric treated each other, that other vampires might be jealous of either one of them and most of them would be scared of Eric. She decided that was probably a good thing, especially since Eric would be the first vampire Sheriff to get married.

It occurred to her that she didn't really know if the vampires should know about Niall or not. On one hand, they had to explain how Eric was able to father a baby. On the other hand, she knew Eric didn't like or trust Niall, and that would probably be true of the other vampires, too. She was so intent on remembering to ask Eric about how they would explain the baby that she didn't notice it was almost sundown.

"Miss Sookie?" Alicia called from the side of the pool.

"Huh?" She "woke up." "Hey Alicia,"

"Did you want to change before dinner, Miss?"

"Oh, wow – it's almost time for Eric, isn't it? Um, actually, I think I'll just wear that white shirt. I'll get out now, though, so I don't drip all over the kitchen," she laughed, heading for the shallow end of the pool.

Alicia met her at the edge with a big beach towel and gathered up Sookie's things while she sat at a table for a few minutes, drying off. She retrieved the glass from the far side of the pool and Sookie put Eric's white shirt over the bathing suit just as the outdoor lights came on and he came out the door.

"Eric!" Sookie ran and jumped in his arms and kissed him. "This is Alicia!"

"Nice to meet you, Alicia," Eric shook her hand and gave her a dazzling smile, "did you girls have a good day?"

"Yes, sir, I think we got off to a good start," Alicia couldn't believe she was blushing – he was GORGEOUS!

"Good, I'm very glad to hear it. Did you talk about Friday?" He put his arm around Sookie and guided her toward the door as Alicia walked with them.

"The party? Yes, we'll be going shopping tomorrow. I have some dresses on hold at a specialty shop in town that I think she'll like very much."

"Excellent. I didn't expect you to have anything yet."

"Well, I started yesterday so I'd know where we need to focus our energy. I'm hoping we find several options so she'll have some things before she needs them."

"Alright, now Sookie's new car won't be ready for another week, so you two take my Corvette tomorrow. It's a little more comfortable than her current car."

"Huh?" Sookie didn't know what he was talking about.

"I'll explain later," he kissed her hair and then held the door for both of them.

Margaret served Sookie a gorgeous slice of turkey tenderloin with broccoli and a yummy cold carrot salad, then she and Alicia said good night as Sookie and Eric settled into the den, ostensibly to watch a movie. Once they left, though, Sookie pulled Eric onto the big couch and they had sex in the dark without even turning on the TV. After the second "round" Eric flew them upstairs naked and left Sookie on the bed while he ran a warm bath.

"Not too hot, Eric, Gran said I have to be careful about the baby."

"Yes, I read about that," he came back, leaned over her and kissed her.

"We left our clothes downstairs, you know?" she said as he nipped at her neck.

"The maids will get them…"

"Eric!"

"What? They've all been warned they'll need to clean up evidence of sex frequently."

"You actually told them that?"

"Oh, yes – we're not going to be inhibited in our own home. Everything can be cleaned or replaced. We have two priorities and one of them is pleasure…"

Sookie cracked up, "you did not just say that?!"

"Too much? It seemed a little cheesy as I said it," he laughed as he tickled her, making her squeal with laughter. She was still laughing as he carried her into the bathroom and let her down gently in the water.

He settled in behind her and she snuggled up to his chest. "So, I think I'm glad you hired Alicia."

"You are?!" This was very good news.

"Yeah, I have no idea how I'd find a dress for the Queen's party. She asked me all kinds of things about what I like, and I just have a feeling she's going to know what I want as well as what I need."

"I am very glad to hear that."

"She's really nice, too. She went out of her way to reassure me and answer questions for me – it's almost like having a mentor or a mom or something."

Eric kissed her hair and rubbed her back. "That's exactly what we want - an experienced woman who understands your needs. I'm glad you two seem to like each other."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see what she picked out for me!"

"Just remember, if you don't like anything, tell her. It will be a learning process for both of you."

"She's even already thinking about shoes and evening bags, too – I know I'd never have thought about a bag, even if I remembered I need shoes."

"Exactly. Ready to have your hair washed?"

"Yeah, that sounds great!"

Eric used the hand-held to wet her hair as she kept talking.

"So, you want to hear something weird?"

"What's that?"

"While I was floating in the pool today, I almost felt like I could feel the baby."

"It's only been a few days…"

"Yeah, but it's weird, like, normally a baby is just cells and they reproduce and eventually grow into hands and legs and fingers and toes, but I have this really clear picture in my head of this tiny, fully formed baby that likes being warm and comfortable."

"You do?" He lathered up her hair and gently rubbed her scalp.

"Yeah, and I don't think he likes it when I float in the pool."

"You do that a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah, but sometimes it makes me nauseous, like it did today, and I swear I felt him get fussy."

"Isn't it common for the hormonal changes to make a woman have strange thoughts and dreams?"

"Yeah, I guess, but this is really clear in a way I can't describe. It's like, instead of prompting cells to go through the process of becoming a baby, they made a whole teeny tiny baby and put it in there and he's just waiting until he's big enough to come out."

"Ludwig was right," Eric said as he conditioned her hair, "you need to be making notes of these things. I'll get you a steno pad from my office for right now, and I'll get you a blank book where you can transfer your notes. This might just be your imagination, but while there is magick involved, we should be very aware of any unusual sensations or feelings."

"I want to remember everything, anyway, even the rough parts, and some day I'll tell Baby E how he was born."

"Mmmm – "Baby E" – I never heard sweeter words in my life," Eric whispered as he hugged her from behind. They were quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying the sense of being together, then Sookie washed Eric's hair and asked him questions about what life was like when he was a child.

"How many people in your human family, Eric?"

"Seven kids, two aunts and a very young uncle, three cousins, all living in one sort of lodge."

"Lots of people!"

"We were sort of tribal, and families stayed together in large numbers for survival. It takes a lot of people to produce or gather enough enough food to feed themselves. When you have no modern conveniences, it has to be a group effort. Children were a kind of wealth, especially sons."

"Where were you in the family line?"

"Eldest. I was almost five years older than the next sibling."

"How'd that happen?"

"In those days, nutrition was so poor that women didn't get pregnant while they were breast feeding, and children were breast fed for a long time. As I got older, the family became wealthier so there was often milk from goats or sheep for the kids, so the children came closer together."

"And your mother was Fae?"

"Yes, but she didn't raise me after I was weaned. She left when I was young, then my father took another wife who bore the younger kids."

"Did you all look alike?" He helped her step out of the water and wrapped her in a towel.

"No, I was taller even than my father and I was the only one who stayed blond as I got older. The others were blond as kids, but their hair got darker as they aged."

"Were you ever married, then?" He started to comb out her hair.

"Yes, I had an arranged marriage and had four kids but I have no idea what happened to them after I was turned. I was always on a raid or at war, so I never really knew any of them. I'm going to know this son we are having. I'm going to be very close to him and enjoy every minute of being a father."

"Do you remember your mother?"

"Yes, she looked very much like you."

"Really? Put some of this on my back, please?" She handed him some lotion from beside the sink.

"Yes, when I met with Niall, he asked if you reminded me of anyone, and my mind flashed back to her. He was speaking of Freyja, but you also look like my mother."

"Could they have been connected the way you think I'm connected to Her?"

"It's possible, but Freyja never mentioned it."

"Did you ever ask?"

"There was no reason to – I never thought of her until I met you." They walked to their own sides of the bed and got in.

"Make me a promise?"

"What is that?"

"If you ever talk to Freyja again, ask her?"

"I will, but I have a feeling you will get the chance before I do."

"For real?" She faced the window and he spooned up behind her, wrapping her in his arms.

"I'd be very surprised if you did not, but we'll know more when we talk to the Witch."

"What's her name?"

"Amelia Broadway."

"Amelia…" Sookie said, mostly to herself. "What's a real Witch like?"

"Most people wouldn't be able to pick one out of a crowd, though if a person is sensitive to such things they might recognize one. Their life force is very focused and they often have a big sort of energy about them."

"Do they wear black all the time?"

"Some, but not all. The majority are older women, but there are exceptions. They tend to be very opinionated and have psychic abilities of some sort. They are often scholarly and read a lot."

"Will she mind if I ask her questions?"

"I don't know. I've only spoken to her briefly."

"I always wanted to meet a real Witch, I just didn't know there really was such a thing."

**

"Miss Sookie? Sookie, can you wake up?"

Sookie's eyes flew open to see Alicia there with her morning steak. "Morning already, huh? How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Miss. Ready for our shopping trip today?"

"Yeah, I am. Man, I don't even remember going to sleep last night!"

"Mr. Northman said you fell asleep in mid-sentence. We'll try not to keep you out too long today."

"Did he leave me a note?"

"Looks like he did," Alicia went to the dresser and retrieved the blue envelope. "I've put an ensemble out for you that should be easy to get in and out of so you can try on dresses. We'll go as soon as you finish breakfast and shower…"

"Would it be OK if I just put my hair in a pony tail and skipped a shower? We bathed right before bed last night."

"Alright, then, whenever you're dressed, we'll go."

Sookie was ready in twenty minutes and they decided Alicia would drive because Sookie was afraid she'd mess up Eric's car. Alicia kept Sookie focused on what they needed to do that day to distract her a bit.

"The main problem we're going to have," Alicia told her, "is finding something that's sophisticated without being dour, and bright without looking like it belongs at a prom, in a wedding or in a beauty pageant."

"Right…"

"Also, I find that when the dresses are short, they're very short, and we know how Mr. Northman feels about that."

"Yeah, that's true," Sookie laughed.

"How do you feel about strapless dresses?"

"Well, I've never really worn one because my bust is kind of big and I usually wear a bra, plus I'm afraid I'll pop out of it," Sookie joked.

"With the right foundation garments and a little double-sided tape, we can handle those problems."

"Regular tape?"

"No, it's a special wardrobe tape that models and actresses use. I have some in my kit, so if you decide to go that route, we'll make sure you're secure. There's always eyelash glue, too, though I think the tape works best."

Sookie laughed, "do people really do that?"

"Yes, they do, especially if the dress gapes or moves."

"I always wondered, when I'd see these actresses in skimpy dresses, how they were keeping them in place."

"That's how - tape and glue. You wouldn't believe what's going on under those pretty dresses at the Oscars," Alicia laughed.

"I don't know why, but the idea of some big movie star gluing on her dress makes me happy," Sookie giggled.

"And they tape their breasts together, use brown eye shadow to emphasize their cleavage, and most of them have extra hair woven or clipped in."

"So it's all an illusion?"

"Most of it. You take a naturally thin girl with a nice face, add extra hair and the right paint and you've got a glamorous movie star. Most of them aren't nearly as naturally pretty as you are."

"Thanks," Sookie blushed.

"Have you ever worn false eyelashes?"

"No, I bought a pair one time just to try them but they didn't stay in place."

"There's a little trick to it. You don't have to wear them if they make you uncomfortable, but if you want to try it, I can help you."

"Do I need extra hair?"

"No, your hair is thick and healthy. The color is natural, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I've never put anything on it except a little SunIn a few times. I didn't like the way that looked as it grew out, though."

"If you spend a lot of time in the pool, that's more likely to turn green, too."

"The pool turns hair green?"

"Blonde hair can take on a green tinge if you don't wash the chlorine out, but it's much worse with lightened hair. You can get special shampoos to boost your natural color, though."

"Sometimes I use this blue shampoo that makes it look a little brighter."

"That's a good idea, every once in a while."

"You said you've got a kit of some kind?"

"It's a large case that has makeup and things to do hair."

"Are you trained to do stuff like that?"

"Oh, yes, I'm a trained aesthetician. My first employer sent me to school so I could do her hair and makeup for formal occasions."

"She sent you to school for it?"

"Yes, she got tired of having to track someone down to come to the estate when she had a formal event and I had been with her a few years at that point, so she just sent me to school so I could do it for her."

"That's smart."

"Yes, it was convenient for her and having the skills were a great boost for my career. It makes me more valuable."

"Margaret said you have some clerical skills, too?"

"Yes, I can take dictation, type, I'm familiar with Macs and PCs, and I've had a little business training."

"Eric is buying me a laptop and I know nothing about computers. Can you help me learn how to use it?"

"Sure, I can. We'll have you shopping on line and sending emails in no time."

"Great! I want to do research about babies like Eric is…"

"That's a very good idea. There are a lot of books you can get, too."

"Eric already bought me one – isn't that sweet?"

"Yes, it is." Alicia smiled at her. "He seems very attentive."

"He's so excited. He never dreamed he could have a baby."

Alicia didn't pry as to why and how a vampire was able to have a child. She figured she'd learn the whole story eventually and she didn't want Sookie to think she was nosy. So far, this was a nice position. Sookie was very sweet and the house was beautiful. She liked Margaret a lot and looking at Mr. Northman was certainly no hardship. She liked the idea of having a baby in the house, too. It had been a long time since she'd cared for an infant, and she was looking forward to it.

"Alicia – is everything OK?"

"Oh, yes, dear, I was just thinking how nice it will be to have a baby in the house."

"I can't wait. I never thought I'd get married and I always wanted to be a mommy. There's a lot to do to get ready, isn't there?"

"Yes, but we've got time. I think Margaret is having the nursery cleared today and you can pick what color you want it painted, then we'll think about furniture and all that good stuff."

"I know what color I want – a really pretty robin's egg blue."

"Alright, if we're near a store that carries paint, we'll look at paint chips."

"Ooh, good idea! Any little thing we can do to make it more real, let's do it!"

"Alright, here we are," Alicia pulled up by Bella Bridesmaids, "we're a bit early for our appointment."

"Appointment?"

"Yes, this store is by appointment only."

"They're holding dresses here?"

"No, that's another store we'll go to later. There's no appointment time there."

"Hello, may I help you?" An older woman with blond/grey hair and black half glasses perched on her nose greeted them.

"Yes, I called yesterday about some dresses for the Northmans."

"Oh, yes, you must be Alicia? And this is Mrs. Northman?"

"Soon to be, yes," Sookie shook her hand.

"It's very nice to meet you both. I did find a few things for you to try that would work for a formal party."

The older lady had 12 dresses for them to look at. There was one satin dress with a scoop neck and a full skirt that Sookie really liked, but she wasn't crazy about the dark green color, so they ordered one like it in pink. It wouldn't be ready by the weekend, but she'd have it in her closet for future events. Several of the others were too tight in the bust, but there was a very pretty Jenny Yoo dress in a bright blue that they decided to take, but it was a little more conservative than she'd want for the party. Sookie tried on a few others that she picked out herself, but she really needed something they could take with them that day, so they finished up their reserved hour and moved to the next place.

"I like that dress we ordered, and the one I bought, but it doesn't feel right for Friday night, does it?"

"I think we can do better. Don't panic just yet. I also ordered several dresses from different stores online yesterday that should arrive today and tomorrow."

"You did?"

"Yes – you can try them and keep the ones you want and I'll send the others back."

"Where did you order from?"

"Nieman-Marcus, Bergdorfs, Nordstrom, Victoria's Secret."

"Wow – you must have ordered a lot."

"I did. I'm not taking any chances – you're going to be ready to dazzle your hostess Friday night."

"Cool. Are they all fancy dresses?"

"No, some are just little summer dresses that will give you some room to grow before you need maternity clothes."

"Good idea!"

"I had a feeling you might want to put that off as long as possible," Alicia laughed.

"You know it! As soon as I have this little guy, I want the baby weight off, too. I'm not going to get frumpy, no matter how big I get, and I'm not going to stay big after," Sookie laughed, but Alicia knew she was serious.

They hit Bev Formal Wear, Lavender & Lace, and Sue Peyton, and Sookie was acquiring quite a few cute dresses.

"Ooh! Look at this!" Sookie said, jumping up and down in one of the later stores. "Do you think I could ever get away with wearing this?"

"Oh, my, well… why don't you try it on and we'll see how it looks."

Sookie bounced into the dressing room with one of the wildest dresses they had seen all day. Sookie hesitated a little when she pulled her dress off in front of the full-length mirror – was she actually showing already? Her tummy sure didn't seem as flat as normal, but it was way too early, right? Anyway, she shook it off and wiggled into the dress, Alicia coming in to zip up the back for her. The bodice was shaped pretty much like a bra and covered with blue and white rhinestones, then there were five tiers of light to bright cerulean blue feathers, each delineated by a row of rhinestones, the color moving from light to dark as it moved down toward the hem. Alicia would never have looked twice at the thing, but she had to admit, Sookie looked stunning in it.

"OK, is it too tacky? Because I think it's wonderful!" Sookie said as she turned and posed in front of the mirror.

Alicia just laughed. "I would never have guessed it, but there's something about you in the dress that makes it less tacky and more … retro, I guess and sexy. It's got a Goldie Hawn – slash – flapper feeling."

"Yeah, like a flapper or a go-go dancer, but not cheesy or sleazy, right?"

"No, not at all. We'll need to see what Mr. Northman thinks of it, just to be sure, but I'd say you've got your dress. Let's take it and the pink one with the sequins, then we'll hit Dillard's at the Peirre Bossier Mall. Between the dresses we've got now and the ones I ordered, you've got a good selection if you decide against this one."

Alicia also knew a very exclusive shoe shop and Sookie found a pair of Badgley Mischka spike-heeled sandals with a jeweled strip from the vamp to the ankle strap that took her breath away.

"Have you ever walked in heels that high, Dear?"

"No, but I want to!"

"Alright, try them on. You've got time to practice before Friday."

The salesman, a young, gangly man with light brown hair who obviously found Sookie attractive because he was blushing, strapped them on her and she wiggled up and down the aisle of the store.

"How do they feel, Dear?" Alicia thought they'd go very well with the dresses they had in the car.

"Not bad, really."

"Alright, you seem graceful enough in them. I've got some of those "petals" that you can put in them to make them more comfortable."

"OK," Sookie turned to the man, "do these come in any more colors?"

"Yes, ma'am, they come in black and gold, too."

"I want a pair of each in my size, please."

"That's a good idea. Then you've got something to go with almost anything and that will give us time to add to your collection more slowly and find things you really want."

"I really want these! I always dreamed of having shoes like this, but where would I wear them in Bon Temps, even if I could afford them?"

"You'll get to wear these. You'll have various functions Mr. Northman will need to attend and they'll look good with any kind of clubwear, too, so you can wear them if you go with him to… what's it called again?"

"Fangtasia."

"I take it you'll be dressing up when you go there in the evenings, too?"

"Yeah, Eric wants to show me off, if you can believe that."

Alicia noticed the salesman nodding his head as he packed up the sandals when Sookie said that. He apparently thought she was worth showing off, too. Alicia laughed to herself that he ought to see her in the blue dress. She would knock his eyes out.

As they put the shoes into the trunk of the Corvette, Sookie asked Alicia, "Do you think we can make it home before Eric gets up? I want to put on the dress and the shoes and do my hair a little."

"We've got time if we go straight home now."

"I still need an evening bag, though," Sookie remembered as they got into their sides of the car.

"Not to worry, Hon, I've got you covered. I ordered a few of those, too and there's a white one that will match that first pair of sandals."

"Oh, good. Let's hurry then. I want Eric to get the full effect. I hope he likes the dress."

"I'll be very surprised if he doesn't. It looks like it was made for you," Alicia assured her as she headed for the highway.

"Thanks. This wasn't nearly as bad as I expected today."

"You expected it to be bad?"

"I don't know – sort of. I didn't know if we'd like the same things or not."

"My job is to help you be the best "you" you can be. I'm not here to impose my taste on you, just to guide you to develop your own."

"OK, I can handle that," Sookie laughed.

They chatted about babies all the way home and when they got there, Sookie told Margaret breathlessly to please keep Eric downstairs so he could see her once she was in her outfit. She and Alicia took the bags and bundles up in the elevator, and Alicia got her makeup kit from where it was stored in Eric's office closet.

Sookie put on a push up bra they bought at Dillard's and Alicia did her makeup, then had her bend over and brush, then spray, her hair. As she tossed it back, Alicia teased it a bit and added some eyeliner, lip liner and bright pink lipstick, plus a little blush on her cheeks. Finally, she helped Sookie into the dress and buckled the gorgeous sandals on her feet. They took the elevator back downstairs, Alicia going into the kitchen to see if Eric was there.

"Good evening, Mr. Northman!" She greeted him as she came into the kitchen.

"Hello, Alicia! I hear you had a successful shopping trip today?"

"Well, we hope so. Are you ready?"

Eric stood beside the table and nodded, "ready."

"Sookie? He's here!"

Sookie came in wearing the sparkly, feathered blue dress and Eric was speechless.

"What do you think? Is it appropriate for the Queen's party?" Sookie forgot that Margaret and Alicia didn't know about vampire royalty but they didn't react or say anything.

"Sookie, you are a vision!"

"You like it? It's not tacky?"

"It's very attractive! A little short, but that's the fashion, I suppose."

"I can still sit down in it without a problem, though it crushes the feathers. I guess we'll be in the car a long time to get to New Orleans, huh?"

"Not really, we'll be taking Sophie Ann's private plane from the airport here. We'll be there in just over an hour once we're on the plane."

"Private plane?"

"Oh, yes, Sophie Ann insisted when I RSVP'd and told her I was bringing a guest."

"Does she know about us?"

"No, but I'm not too worried. Her consort might actually be pleased by this development. At any rate, I think we'll have a good time. I can't wait for them all to see my beautiful bonded. You're going to be quite a hit, I'm sure."

**

The rest of the week was a blur for Sookie. Between playing in the pool, reading the pregnancy book, trying on dresses Alicia had ordered for her, getting together some new undergarments she needed and practicing walking in her heels every day, the days whizzed by. Before she knew it, they were on their way to the Shreveport city airport.

"Eric, are you nervous about this at all?" she asked as he buckled her into her seat on the plane.

"About flying?"

"No, this party. What if they think I'm cheap? Or stupid?"

"Sookie, they are going to be dazzled by you just as I am. Do not fear," Eric reassured her, though he was lying. He wasn't nervous that they wouldn't like her – quite the opposite. He was afraid he'd have to fight their way out of there because they'd all want her for themselves, even if they didn't know about her telepathy. Still, this trip was necessary. He had to give Sophie Ann fair warning about the wedding and it _would_ have political ramifications. He also needed to get Sophie Ann alone and tell her about Niall and the baby. He had decided it would be best to do that early in the evening, in case she chose to make an announcement of the birth and extend her protection to the family.

The longest black limo Sookie had ever seen picked them up at the plane and in almost no time they were arriving at the Queen's residence. It was amazing, with rectangular gazing pools on either side of the walk that went up to the front door. It was sort of Spanish on the outside, but the inside was a funky mix of Art Deco and Egyptian styles and there were big guards with strange thought patterns at all the entrances.

"Eric?" Sookie asked, holding his arm tightly as they approached the door.

"Yes?" He was going into "Sheriff" mode now, and Sookie knew it. He had warned her he'd have to have a certain badass quality and she could see him put it on like a suit of armor.

"They're not human, right?"

"No, they are Weres."

"OK, well, now I know what they sound like."

Eric raised her hand to his lips and kissed it as they reached the front door.

The party was already in full swing, the room full of people dancing and mingling. The Queen, a tall, lithe woman with porcelain and ginger hair, was on a throne in her ballroom in a low-cut, white lace gown with long bell sleeves which looked as if she had nothing on under it. Andre was hovering, as always, at her side as people milled around, bowing to her and engaging her in conversation of different types.

What happened next was in such rapid succession that the words were like machine gun fire. Everyone reacted at once:

[Sophie Ann, with delight] "Eric!"

[André, sternly] "Northman."

[Eric] "Your majesty, Andre, Bill!"

[Bill] "Sookie!"

[Sookie] "Hadley!"

[Hadley] "Sookie!"

[Sookie] "Bill?"

[Sophie Ann, noticing Sookie on Eric's arm] "ERIC?!"

Everyone was stunned for a minute and Eric was trying not to laugh. He apparently had the upper hand on them all just now. A woman, who turned out to be the Witch, Amelia, stood to the side looking amused at them all.

"Your majesty!" Eric bowed low to Sophie Ann. "May I introduce my bonded, and my fiancée, Miss Sookie Stackhouse."

No one had ever seen Sophie Ann speechless before. She was utterly frozen, not knowing what to do.

"Your _fiancée_?" André interrupted.

"Yes, Miss Stackhouse and I are to be wed. You will all be invited, of course."

"You're going to marry? A HUMAN?" Sophie Ann was trying not to lose it in front of everyone.

"Oh, not exactly." Eric looked her dead in the eye, letting her know he was aware that Sookie wasn't human and he knew that she knew it.

"Sookie, is it?" Sophie Ann decided to pretend she didn't know exactly who Sookie was. She looked Sookie up and down – she was stunning! Everything about the girl sparkled and she smelled sweeter than anything she could remember and Eric _got to her first_! DAMN!

"Yes, it's nice to meet you," Sookie said a little shyly.

"Sookie, what are you doing here!" Hadley was excited to see her, oblivious to the political context of it all.

"Hadley, girl, where have you been?! We haven't heard from you in ages!" Sookie said as Hadley came forward and gave her a big hug. "I'm so glad to know you're OK!"

Sophie Ann was still in shock, not knowing what to react to first, and Bill looked scared to death. Eric was enjoying himself immensely.

"Eric, this is my cousin, Hadley!" Sookie introduced her.

"Your cousin?" Eric said with delight, suddenly putting the last piece of the puzzle in place. Sophie Ann had learned about Sookie's talent from a new lover, who happened to be Sookie's cousin, and who, frankly, didn't seem too bright. The girl probably had no idea what she was doing to Sookie's life by exposing her to vampires. Eric had been right – Sophie Ann sent Compton to Bon Temps to acquire her for her own use. He'd not forget that the two of them tried to go around him.

"Hadley, Sweetheart, you didn't tell me you had such a pretty cousin," the Queen tried to recover herself.

"Good looks seem to run in the family. I'm very pleased to meet you, Hadley," Eric said graciously, shaking her hand and still trying not to laugh.

"Sookie, my dear, allow me to introduce you to my consort, André," Sophie Ann continued, "and Hadley's landlady, Amelia Broadway, and you seem to know Bill Compton." Sophie Ann shot daggers out of her eyes at Bill.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Sookie nodded to Andre. "Amelia, I've been looking forward to meeting you!"

"You have?" Amelia was surprised Sookie knew who she was, and looked at Eric, who nodded to confirm that Sookie knew she was a Witch.

"Yes, I hope we have a chance to talk at some point," Sookie said with complete sincerity and enthusiasm.

"Yes, so do I," Amelia said, sizing Sookie up pretty quickly. She was much brighter than Hadley, and her energy was huge. This girl was definitely more than human. It wouldn't take much at all to convince Amelia that Sookie was exactly whom Eric thought she was. Her aura glowed like a candle in this room, and not just because she was the only woman, aside from herself and Sophie Ann, not dressed in black. If she learned to focus her natural power, this girl could light up all of New Orleans.

"Well, we know you have others to greet, your majesty, so we won't keep you. I would ask that you grant me a private audience before the night is over so we can discuss a matter of some importance. If you'll excuse us, everyone, I'd like to dance with my bonded," Eric nodded and guided Sookie out onto the dance floor as the others all tried to deal with their own angle of the situation.

"Smile, Sweetheart," he told Sookie as he swung her around the floor, "all eyes are on you."

"So I notice. Is it my imagination, or is everybody talking about us?"

"It's not your imagination." He bent to whisper in her ear, pulling her close, "we've created quite the sensation. Everyone is stunned by your beauty."

"I don't think that's why they're stunned, Eric."

"Well, that's part of it, at least. What can you tell me about your cousin, Hadley?"

Sookie motioned for him to bend down and let her whisper, "she's a drug addict. Gran paid for her to go to rehab but she ran away and we weren't even sure she was still alive. I haven't seen her look this good in years."

"Interesting. You know she's the Queen's pet, apparently?"

"I thought something must be going on between them."

"You also know she's the one that put them on your trail?"

"She wouldn't deliberately hurt me, though."

"No, I don't think so, either. I'm sure she had no idea what she was doing. She probably bragged about you to Sophie Ann and, knowing her as I do, she took it upon herself to enlist Compton's aid. I'm very glad I got you away from him."

"So am I! I can't believe he was plotting against me."

"Not against you, exactly, but certainly not for you."

She motioned for him to bend down again. "That guy, André, hates you, you know?"

"Yes, Dear One, I've known that for a long time. I never turn my back on him."

"Good. He scares me."

"I'm glad to hear it. I want you to be careful of everyone else while you are here. Stay as close to me as you can."

"Oh, I will, believe me. I'm afraid to let you go. Everyone is looking at me like they're hungry!"

"It's your special scent. Now that you are with child, it's practically rolling off of you. Every vampire within twenty feet of you can smell it."

"I forgot to ask you – are you going to tell them about you-know-who?"

"Yes, I'll tell Sophie Ann. It will be up to her whether she reveals it to anyone else. My guess is, she won't."

"But you have to tell her?"

"Yes, it's the only way to explain about the baby," Eric twirled her again and dipped her backward just to dig at Sophie Ann, who was summoning them. "Our presence is requested."

Eric led Sookie back up to Sophie Ann's seat where she was trying to look cool and a little bored, but Eric could see through it.

"Eric, darling, you asked to speak to me?"

"Yes, your majesty, if you could spare a moment. It's not something I can tell you in public, I'm afraid."

"Alright, follow me," she stood as André held her hand, but she motioned for him not to follow them. "Sookie, you will excuse us, please?"

Sookie hesitated, but Amelia stepped up. "Sookie, why don't we find a seat and talk for a few minutes?"

"Alright," she said reluctantly as Eric nodded to her, "that'd be nice."

"I'll be right back, Sweetheart. You and Amelia get acquainted."

"OK,"

Amelia steered Sookie to a couch on the perimeter of the room as Eric followed Sophie Ann into another room as guards flanked the door on both sides.

"Alright, Eric, you have another surprise for me?" Sophie Ann said with a little bitterness.

"Yes, my Queen, I have news I must share with you."

"Go on."

"You know Niall Brigant, of course?"

"Yes, of course…" What the hell could this be?

"Niall, as it turns out, is Sookie's great grandfather. Probably Hadley's, too, now that I think about it. Niall has worked magick so I could impregnate Sookie. She is with child and I am his father."

Sophie Ann looked as if she would faint. "_With child_?! Is this possible?"

"You know Brigant's power, my Lady. Have you any doubt?"

"That's why her scent is so strong…" Sophie Ann was talking to herself now.

"Yes, it became so once the pregnancy occurred."

"It couldn't belong to someone else?" She was grasping at straws and she knew it.

"No, your majesty, there is no doubt I am his father."

"_His_ father. You are going to have a son…" This was just getting worse and worse. She would never have him now – not while Sookie lived and if Niall was her grandfather, she'd never dare harm her. She needed to think. Maybe André would kill Sookie for her…?

"Your majesty?"

She snapped out of it, "yes?"

"I thought perhaps you'd like to make the announcement, and extend your protection to my child and his mother?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be the thing to do for such a progressive… arrangement. Is there a date for the wedding?"

"Not yet, but it will take place some time in June."

"When will the child be born?"

"Fewer than 6 months hence."

"Very well. Leave me. I will make the announcement within the hour."

'Thank you, your majesty," Eric bowed very low to her and left the room.

Sophie Ann just sat and stared for a few minutes. There was nothing else to be done. She would never have Eric killed and she knew he'd kill anyone who harmed Sookie while she carried his child, even if it were she or André. If she wanted to make use of Sookie's skills, she'd have to go through Eric, which wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it was a good deal more expensive than having her bonded to Bill as she had planned.

"Sophie?" André, the only one who dared to call her Sophie, came into the room, "do you want me to take her?"

"Eric will never allow that."

"He can be killed."

"If we try and fail, he will end us both. There is too much at stake for him now."

"Because they are marrying?"

"Because she is carrying his child."

"Impossible! Why would you believe such a thing?"

"Fae magick – apparently, Sookie and Hadley are the progeny of Niall Brigant."

"WHAT?!"

"Hadley certainly shows no Fae tendencies, but it explains Sookie's special abilities. If you think about it, they both have elfin qualities in their looks. I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"You are going to allow one of your Sheriffs to marry, and to have a child?"

"What would you have me do?" She was getting aggravated now.

"Kill them. Kill him, kill the baby, use the girl as we had planned."

"That is madness. Remember, Brigant has a strong part in this. We risk war with the Fae if we interfere with his plans."

"Tell me the true reason, Sophie."

"True reason?"

"Yes – your feelings for Northman. You are letting your lust for him cloud your judgment. You will appear weak if you allow a Sheriff to outshine you. A child and a wedding for a Sheriff - it is unheard of."

"Sheriffs are not forbidden to marry – no one has, but there is nothing in the law that prevents it. He will be the first, but it was bound to happen eventually, now that it's legal. This child – if the gods have allowed this, there must be a reason."

"What are you afraid of? It is not like you to cower before the Fae."

"It is not only the Fae, it is the Council. This kind of magick must have required their approval."

"Sophie…"

"ENOUGH! For now, we do nothing. I will make the announcement and extend them my protection. I will broach the subject with the Council in my own time. We will speak no more of this until I have had time to think." Her tone told him that he had better not pursue the subject further. He bowed to her and she left the room.

Amelia grabbed two glasses of wine from a waiter they passed as she and Sookie make their way to a green silk settee.

"Thanks." Sookie said as she accepted a glass of wine, intending just to sip a little, "So, Eric told you about me?"

"Yes, he asked me to meet you and see if I agreed with him about your… nature."

"My ability, you mean?"

"Your origin."

"The Freyja thing?"

"Yes."

"It's crazy, isn't it?"

"I don't think it's crazy at all. You must have noticed the way people here are reacting to you."

"Yeah, I smell extra-sweet to vampires, especially because of the baby."

"Baby?" What baby?!

"Attention, everyone!" Sophie Ann stood on her platform and commanded the crowd's attention. The music stopped and everyone grew silent. "I have a most unusual announcement. You all know Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area 5…"

The crowd nodded and mumbled as Eric stood behind the couch where Sookie and Amelia sat, Sookie reaching up to take his

"Eric has some joyous and unexpected news for us. First, this coming June, Sheriff Northman will be wed to Miss Sookie Stackhouse."

Shock rippled through the crowd. A Sheriff married?!

"… And, shortly thereafter, as a result of miraculous magick, Sheriff Northman will become a father. Miss Stackhouse is with child."

Silence.

"Yes, it is shocking, but it is true," she continued, "he has fathered a child. Eric Northman will be the first Sheriff to marry, and the only vampire in the world, apparently, to be blessed with a son."

People stared in their direction. Some were incredulous, some overwhelmed at the possibility, a few wanted to know how to do it themselves. Bill was standing behind the Queen's dais looking sick.

"And, naturally, I will be extending the protection of the Crown to include Sheriff Northman's future wife and child. All who are in my realm shall protect them. Let us drink a toast!"

Waiters rushed through the crowd with wine and blood as the Queen stood with her glass held high. "To the Northman family – the first of its kind."

"The Northman family" the crowd repeated, raising their glasses and drinking. It did not escape Eric's notice that André neither toasted nor drank. Hadley skipped over to Sookie and gave her a big kiss, then ran back to her spot beside Sophie Ann like a puppy.

Other vampires slowly approached Eric with congratulations and questions, which he fielded while Sookie and Amelia continued to talk. Everyone wanted a look at Sookie, nodding to her as they passed and then whispering to each other about her unusual scent.

"Well, you really know how to make an impression," Amelia laughed. "When did you find out about the baby?"

"Just a few days ago, really."

"That must have been quite a shock!"

"Yeah, it was. That's the first I ever knew about real magick."

"Don't feel pressured to answer if you don't want, but may I ask who did it?"

"Um," she looked at Eric and he shook his head, "a fairy?" He nodded that telling that much was OK.

"Fae magick, huh? I knew some of them were powerful, but that's big magick, making a vampire fertile."

"Yeah, the doctor said there's no record of it happening before."

"A regular doctor or a Supe doctor."

"A Supe doctor – Dr. Ludwig."

"Holy smoke! Dr. Ludwig is involved?!"

"Yeah, you know her?" Sookie was surprised.

"Only by reputation, but she's a very big deal."

"I hope she's as good as everyone says she is," Sookie was still naturally nervous about the whole thing.

"Oh, don't worry, Honey. You couldn't be in better hands from what I hear of her. It's quite an honor if she agrees to invest her time and talents in you."

"Oh – good!"

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Magick – how do I learn?"

"Have you ever studied it before?"

"No, I never knew there was such a thing. The thing is, I was told that I'm going to teach my baby magick, but I don't know any, so how can I?"

"Ever hear the saying "when the student is ready, the teacher appears?"

"Yeah, once, from the person who told me about teaching the baby," she laughed.

"That's a good sign, so now's the time to learn, kid. You live in Shreveport, right?"

"Yeah,"

"I'm not doing much in New Orleans. I might consider coming north for a bit if you know a place I could crash."

"Like with us?"

"No, that doesn't sound right, but you know someplace else for me to stay."

"I do?"

"You do."

"Actually, now that I think about it, how about staying with my Gran?"

"That's a little ways away, right?"

"Yeah, it's in the country, in Bon Temps."

"She's by herself now?"

"Right."

"Yeah, that sounds right. She needs someone around to help with the cleaning since you moved out, right? Make sure she's OK with it, and if she is, I'll be up next weekend."

"How do you know all this?"

"My teacher read cards for me about it."

"You have a teacher?"

"Yeah, you'll meet her at some point, from what she told me. Everything is swirling around you, like a whirlpool, pulling the things that you need toward you. You've got big, Universal forces on your side, but there's a force or two against you, too, so you do need to learn how to protect yourself and fight back if need be. Did Eric get the list of books I sent for you?"

Sookie looked up at Eric, who was talking to a couple of creepy male vampires who looked like they died on a golf course, and he looked at her and said, "they're on their way," then went back to his conversation.

"OK, good. When you get them, read as much as you can. Don't try to memorize everything – scan through it all quickly at first and get your brain working on it, OK?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I might need to get a car I can use while I'm there…"

Eric held his hand up to get the other vamps to bear with him a moment, "Amelia, you can use Sookie's Camaro. She'll be getting a new car."

"That's the second time you've said that! Why am I getting another car?"

"For the baby – you need room for a car seat and a bulletproof exterior."

Amelia laughed at the look on Sookie's face. "He keeps you on your toes, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, I can't keep up with it all. It's like being on a rollercoaster that only goes up, through a loop, and up again."

"So tell me about the baby?"

"He's probably going to be born in October. They're not really sure what he's going to be…"

"As in "Fae, human, or vampire?""

"Right. All they know is it's a boy and it's going to look a lot like Eric."

"Nothing wrong with that, girl, he's a doll," Amelia teased her and Sookie laughed and looked at Eric, who also laughed because he heard it, too.

"So, a person can actually learn magick?"

"Yeah, it's a matter of learning to work energy, mostly, though it's a religion, too."

"I don't know a lot about religion."

"Do you know anything about the Goddess?"

"Like, one in particular?"

"Yeah, the Goddess, the Source of all Life."

"No, I don't think I do."

"OK, well, read those books and that will get you started. For right now, think of that phrase and roll it around in your head, "The Goddess, the Source of all Life.""

Sookie felt the strangest sensation when Amelia said it the second time, and put her hand on her lower tummy.

"Something wrong, Hon?"

"I just get these weird feelings sometimes. Like when you said that, I could swear the baby agreed with you."

Eric looked over and he and Amelia exchanged a look.

"Are you writing this stuff down, Sookie?" Amelia asked her

"No, but I'm supposed to be."

"When you get home, I want you to promise me that the first thing you'll do is write that down. Write the date, the time, where you were, what you felt and what was going on around you. Do that every time you feel those strange feelings, alright?"

Eric was nodding as Amelia was talking to Sookie. This was the first he had heard of strange feelings and he knew this could be important. He was impressed that Amelia told her to write things down, too. Eric's intuition was humming, quite happy with the way Sookie and Amelia were talking. If you didn't know any better, you'd think they were old friends. They leaned toward each other as they spoke and he liked the energy between them. Sookie didn't have any girlfriends, and he knew she needed a confidant her own age. Amelia was a bit older, but not so much that they couldn't interact as equals. If nothing else came from this night, at least he found Sookie a potential teacher and friend.

"_I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself.__"_ -- Oscar Wilde


	13. Chapter 13

**DETOUR Up Ahead**

Part 13

Eric was beaming with pride as nearly every vampire at the party came over to wish them the best of luck, some bragging on how lovely Sookie was while gazing at her with hunger in their eyes, some hinting around wanting to know how to have a child of their own. Sookie just smiled and said 'hi' and 'thanks' as she continued her conversation with Amelia, still holding Eric's hand.

Sophie Ann tried not to be short with people as they came by to congratulate her on having such a progressive nest in her Queendom. She'd be damned if she'd let everyone know how disappointed she was in these developments. There was no way she'd let people know one of her Sheriffs had so much influence on her feelings. She certainly wasn't going to let people know she was jealous of this little blonde girl, for heaven's sake!

André was ready to spit bloody nails – he hated Eric Northman, and the idea of him controlling that sparkling little diamond in the blue dress, with her telepathy and that glorious scent, let alone making history by siring the first vampire baby in recorded history, would make him want Eric dead even if he weren't sure Sophie Ann would oust him in a second if she could get Northman into her bed. Sophie was right about one thing, though – if Niall Brigant was behind this pregnancy, no one dared harm the girl or the baby she carried. He also knew that any hint of danger toward Sookie or her baby would provoke Northman's most vicious protective instincts. Most would consider him having a wife and potential child a weakness that could be exploited, but André knew Eric far too well to suppose he would be cautious in meting out retribution where they were concerned. Northman had never been more dangerous than he was at this moment. Sophie was right about that, too – he had too much to lose. Any action against him or his nest must be carefully considered and executed, because failure would mean certain and cruel death.

Bill made his way around the room to offer Eric his congratulations, knowing that if he did not, Eric would take it as a slight or some sign of opposition. There was no way Bill wanted to be on the wrong side of the fight where Eric was concerned. Sheer will to survive made getting on Eric's good side a priority.

"Eric – congratulations on your new family. Congratulations to you, too, Sookie," he looked down at her and she looked up and smiled. "You must be very pleased with these developments, Sheriff." 'Yes,' Bill thought to himself, 'I'm kissing his ass, but it has to be done.'

"Thank you, Bill. You'll be invited to the wedding, of course, since you're Sookie's neighbor and we'd never have met, if not for you." Eric said that for Sophie Ann's benefit, knowing she was listening to every word he said. This was positively _delicious_.

"That's very kind of you, Eric, I'll look forward to it."

"Eric! Bill! So nice to see both of you!" A tall, striking vampiress with short dark hair approached them, putting one hand on Bill's arm and starting to put the other on Eric's, but he subtly pulled away.

"Good evening, Sabrina," Eric said with a slight undercurrent of irritation. "I'm sorry I can't give you a kiss, but I am bonded." She knew better than to touch him that way, and the fact she tried anyway was a great insult to Sookie. Eric wouldn't tolerate any disrespect to his bonded.

Sookie looked up from her conversation with Amelia, wondering why this chick was trying to paw at her fiancé.

"Sookie, Darling, this is Sheriff Sabrina Maxwell from Area 3. Sabrina, this is my bonded, Sookie."

"How nice to meet you, dear," Sabrina said with a little bit of a sneer, "you've created quite a little stir tonight! She's just lovely, Eric, wherever did you find her?"

"It was as if the gods delivered her to me right in my own bar. I knew the minute she walked into Fangtasia that she would be mine," he smiled at her adoringly.

"My, isn't that romantic," she said condescendingly.

OK, Sookie didn't like this bitch, and she was trying to grab Eric's arm again, though he smoothly moved away again. Amelia was watching intently, wondering how Sookie would handle this situation.

"Sabrina, would you like to dance?" Bill intercepted her this time. She didn't want to refuse him, or it would be obvious she was targeting Eric with her attentions.

"Of course, Bill, I'd love to. I'll see you very soon, Eric," she purred at him, making Sookie's eyebrow arch and sending her displeasure into the bond.

"Not to worry, Sweetheart, she's merely an associate," Eric bent to reassure her.

"An associate that would like to be a lot more, though. I thought other vampires would know not to paw at you once we're bonded."

"Most will. Sabrina is not like most vampiresses, though, Sookie. You might say she has fewer boundaries than most."

"I heard she's crazy," Amelia commented, making Sookie laugh.

"I shouldn't speak ill of another Sheriff in this company," Eric smiled, letting Amelia know her comment was accurate.

"You dated her, though, right?" Sookie knew there had to be history there.

"In a manner of speaking. Long, long ago."

"Every consider going back?" She didn't care if there were other people there, she wanted to know what was up.

"Not even if my life depended on it," he said softly as he sent all the reassurance he could through the bond, raising her hand to his lips and kissing it.

"OK, good." Sookie was happy with that explanation.

"Ready to fight for him, huh?" Amelia laughed.

"I know I couldn't fight her, but I'm not going to sit by and watch another woman paw at my future husband and not say anything," Sookie said with absolute determination, followed quickly by a huge yawn. "Oh, my – excuse me, Amelia!"

"No problem. You might want to think about calling it a night. You and the baby need your rest."

"You do seem very tired, Sweetheart," Eric said with concern. Now that his business was complete, he'd be happy to go home.

"Yeah, I guess I am. Dr. Ludwig was right – I'm wiped out all of a sudden."

"We can go any time you want, Sookie. Amelia, we'll have the pleasure of a visit from you soon, yes?"

"Yes, definitely. In the mean time, Sookie get my number and my email from Eric and we'll stay in touch every day so you can tell me how you're doing with your books, alright?"

"That sounds great! Thank you so much!"

"Not at all, kid. I wouldn't miss this for the world!" she laughed, giving Sookie a big hug.

"Alright, Sookie, let's say goodnight to our hostess and make our way back to the plane." Eric helped her stand and let her lean on his arm as they walked back toward Sophie Ann.

Eric bowed as they approached, "My Queen, we wish to say good night."

"Leaving so soon?" she was visibly disappointed.

"Yes, I'm afraid Sookie's condition makes her very tired. The doctor wants her to get plenty of rest. We've had a marvelous time though, haven't we, Sweetheart?"

"Yes, it's a beautiful party, and your home is amazing – I've never seen anything like it," Sookie said sincerely.

Sophie Ann tried to be gracious, "thank you, my dear. You are welcome to visit us any time, of course, so hopefully you and Eric will come again as your pregnancy develops? I'm so curious about the whole process." That was the understatement of Sophie Ann's long life.

"We'll certainly be back before the child comes," Eric assured her.

"G'nite, Sookie!" Hadley popped up and hugged Sookie and Sookie gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Is it OK if I tell Gran that I saw you and you're OK? She's been worried about you."

"Sure, tell her I said "hey" – I'd come for a visit but I owe her SO much money," she giggled with only a little embarrassment.

"She won't care about that, Honey. Give her a call when you can, alright?"

"Alright! I will!"

Sookie knew she wouldn't, but at least they knew she was alive now. She'd call Gran tomorrow and fill her in.

Leaving the party was like running a gauntlet. Everyone they passed bowed and looked Sookie over one last time, barely resisting the urge to keep her there at all costs. Eric nodded to them all in turn, leading her back out the front where their car had already been called. Sookie fell asleep with her head on Eric's arm on the way to the airfield, and didn't wake up as Eric gently lifted her out of the car and flew her up the stairs to the plane. He held her hand in his as they slipped through the night air. Sookie only opened her eyes briefly when they hit a pocket of turbulence, but it was a fairly smooth flight and before she knew it, she was being tucked into Eric's Corvette.

"Are we home yet?" Sookie asked sleepily.

"Not yet, Dearest, but we will be soon," he said as he buckled her seatbelt and then his. "Did you have a good time at the party?"

"Yeah, long as nobody bit me," she yawned and Eric laughed. "I really like Amelia."

"Good. I think you can learn a lot from her."

"Yeah, I've got a lot to learn if I'm gonna teach Baby E about magick."

He smiled and stroked her cheek as he drove and she dozed most of the short drive home. When they got into the garage, Eric carried her into the house, her arms around his neck.

"I'm leaving a trail of feathers everywhere I go in this dress," she observed sleepily.

"Yes, you left a lot of trails in your wake tonight. I was very proud of you," he whispered as he set her on the bed.

"You were?"

He knelt in front of her, unzipping the back of her dress. "Oh, yes, Sookie. Every vampire there wanted to be me. I heard so many of them talking about how pretty you are, and how sweet you smelled, and they were all fascinated with the idea of you being pregnant with my child. People could not take their eyes off of you."

"They didn't think I was weird?"

"They thought you were a miracle, and they were right," He kissed her deeply, then kissed her shoulder as he helped her out of the dress.

She let out a huge yawn. "I'll never be able to wear this again, will I?"

"You wouldn't want to, would you?"

"Why not?"

"The Queen has already seen it."

"Yeah, but I could wear it to Fangtasia some time if the feathers weren't wrecked."

"Well, ask Alicia what she thinks." He hung the dress up for her, "I think the dress has done its work. You sparkled like a jewel tonight," he said softly as he helped her out of her undergarments.

"You always say things like that, and I love it, but part of me doesn't believe it. Nobody ever looked at me before…" she crawled up into her side of the bed.

Eric sat next to her, putting his arm around her. "They looked, Sookie, they simply weren't smart enough to know what they were seeing. You have amazing qualities that are lost on humans, but are very highly prized in the Supe world. And don't underestimate your physical charms, my beautiful bonded, you haven't seen the way men of every description look at you when your attention is elsewhere. Even in that awful uniform at Merlotte's, men could not keep their eyes off of you."

"I always felt like people were looking at me because I was weird."

"Maybe that was an effect of the Goddess in you?"

"Huh? Why would the Goddess want that?"

"If you were not gifted, no one would have been afraid of you, yes?"

"Yes."

"So men would have pursued you as any other attractive woman, yes?"

"I guess…?"

"So, their fear and, if I may say, their stupidity, kept you untouched until I came along."

"And that's a good thing?"

"From my perspective, it's a very good thing. You have no old lovers I must track down and kill," he laughed.

"That's a joke, right?"

Eric didn't respond, he just kissed her and stood up and started taking his suit off. Sookie yawned again and settled back, saying, "I didn't like that Sabrina person at all."

"She's not very likable. What did you think of Sophie Ann?" He was hanging up his jacket and pants.

"She's so beautiful. She looks like a Queen."

"And André?"

"He really scares me, Eric, and he hates you." She hugged her pillow and watched him undress.

He unbuttoned his blue silk shirt. "Yes, there's no love lost between us. Don't worry about André, Sweetheart. He's busy trying to hold onto Sophie Ann."

"So, she and my cousin Hadley are…?"

"Lovers? Yes, though I think your cousin is more of a pet than a partner."

"Is that a vampire thing?"

"What?"

"Girls and girls, guys and…?"

"Because vampires tend to live so long, it is usual to experiment sexually. Most try everything at least a few times over the centuries, even if it's not normally their cup of tea."

"So you've done it with a guy?"

"Have you done it with a girl?" He avoided the question.

"No! I never did anything with anybody before you."

He slid into bed next to her and nuzzled her neck. "Not even little games girls play together as children?"

"I don't know what girls you know, but none of the girls I knew were ever into anything like that. I sure as heck didn't know Hadley was, and we were pretty tight until she got into drugs in high school!"

"It might be a new thing for her."

"Why do you say that?" She snuggled up against him as he put his arm under her head.

"You said she's a drug addict, yes?"

"Yeah – you heard her say she owes Gran money, too, right? That's for that rehab she ran away from."

"Sophie Ann can be generous with her gifts where her pets are concerned. She might be plying her with money or drugs." He was stroking her back and her hip and it was making her very relaxed.

"That's awful!"

"Not if everyone is getting what they want. It's very common in the vampire world to provide compensation for human companions."

"Honestly, though, Eric, I don't think so – she looked healthier than she's been in years."

"Then perhaps the Queen has had a positive influence on her."

"Hadley seemed happy."

"And Sophie Ann seemed to dote on her. I think she was planning on a pair of pets, though, so we'll see if it lasts," Eric speculated.

"What do you mean?"

"I think Sophie Ann had designs on you, too, Sookie."

"For my telepathy, right?"

"Not just that, Sookie, she wanted you the way she has Hadley as well."

"But I'm not into that!"

"She can be very persuasive. If you were bonded to her, or even to Bill, you might not have a choice."

"Can you make me do things I don't want to do?"

"Not if I honor our bond."

"But you could if you didn't?"

"Yes, I probably could." He was fudging because he didn't want her to know how much control he really had over her.

"What if I became a vampire?"

"Then I definitely could. As your Maker, I could compel you to do whatever I wanted."

"That's awful!"

"Not necessarily. Many Makers and their Progeny are very happy together. Pam and I were always happy together."

"OK, this might seem like a freaky-weird question, but you said I can ask you anything, right?"

"Right." This could get tasty, he told himself.

"OK, theoretically, say I was into the idea of doing it… with a girl… "

"Yes?" He loved this question so far…

"…would it be weird or improper or whatever if I did it with Pam?"

Eric looked at her and tried not to burst out laughing, but it wasn't easy. "No, it wouldn't be improper. It is not unusual for a vampire to share Children and lovers."

"You'd be there, too, right?"

"Right?"

"I'm not saying I would do that, because I don't think I would, I'm just wondering what the rules are."

"There are no rules that would prevent or discourage it."

"See, because I think it would be weird if Hadley and I did it together with anybody else, because she's family."

"That is a human moral judgment, though, that is not even universal to human cultures. There is no such morality among vampires."

"What do you mean "not universal to human cultures?""

"Well, in many human cultures, people marry first cousins."

"What cultures?"

"It happens even now in this country. It was very common in Europe until recently and tribal peoples often marry very closely. It's a main feature in some of Jane Austen's work."

"Really? Which book?"

"**Mansfield Park**. Fanny Price falls in love with her first cousin, Edmund."

"Yeah, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Ashley Wilkes marries his cousin Melanie in **Gone with the Wind**, too. There's a line where somebody says "Wilkes's always marry cousins." Have you got **Mansfield Park **on DVD?"

"Yes, I think I saw it in the cabinet."

"Can we watch it tomorrow night?"

"If we feel like it when we get home. Remember, tomorrow is Saturday – I must make an appearance at Fangtasia."

"I can go, too, though, right?"

"Yes, of course. I'd love to have you there if you want to go. You're under no obligation if you are too tired, though."

"Nuh-uh, I want to be there to keep all the vampire groupies off of you," she teased him.

"You needn't worry about that, my Lover. No one touches me now but my bonded." He smoothed her hair away from her face. "May I make request?"

"Sure – what?"

"That pink dress you wore the first time we went to the lake – do you have it here?"

"Yeah, I think so…"

"It looks lovely on you. Would you wear it tomorrow night so I can show you off?"

Sookie giggled. "Of course I will, Sweetie!" She yawned again and this time she was really fading. She started to speak again but Eric said, " shhhh, let go, Sookie," and rubbed her back until she fell asleep.

"Miss Sookie? Can you wake up and eat?"

"Hm? Oh, good morning, Alicia."

"Good morning, Miss. I've got your breakfast. Did you eat at the party last night? We found your salad still in the fridge, so I assume you didn't eat when you got home?"

"I completely forgot about eating last night. I was so tired, all I could think about was getting in bed, and Eric was trying to get me to let go and go to sleep."

"We need to be careful about you missing meals. Maybe we'll start leaving something up here in a cooler or maybe we could get a little fridge to store your evening snacks in?"

"Yeah, I guess Eric would be OK with that. I do need to eat more than twice a day."

"Alright, Margaret and I will see what we can do about this. At the very least we can keep some milk up here, and some peanut butter and crackers. Maybe there's a diet supplement we can find that would help with vitamins and calories?"

"Maybe?"

"If your salad had been up here last night, you would have eaten it, right?"

"Yeah, if I remembered."

"Alright, I think a stocked mini-fridge is our best bet. So, how was the party?"

"Intense. You should have seen her estate – it was gorgeous! Kind of like a modern Egyptian palace, with pale teal green marble and purple inlaid accents on the floors and borders around the wall."

"Oh, my!"

"It was pretty spectacular. Everybody was really nice to me, but they all checked me out pretty thoroughly because of the baby and us getting married and all."

"That's a first in his community, isn't it?"

"Yeah, both the wedding and the baby. People were pretty shocked. You could kind of hear it ripple through the crowd when he said we were engaged, and then when she announced the baby, everybody was stunned."

"Did anyone say anything about the dress?"

"Eric said I sparkled like a jewel, and he said he heard a lot of people talk about how pretty I was, but I don't know that I heard anything about my dress…"

"That's wonderful!"

"It is?"

"Yes, you want them to notice you, not your dress. The dress should show you off, not outshine you."

"Oh, well, then I guess that's good! I was wondering if I could ever wear it again, though?"

"I'll look it over, but I'd say you've gotten your money's worth and then some."

"Eric said it had done its job, too. It left a trail everywhere I went," she laughed.

"Yes, I picked a few feathers up off the stairs and I see a few on the bedspread there. I'll have to get a lint brush to clean them off. I'll have one of the gardener's boys check Mr. Northman's car. I'm sure they'll be in there, too."

"Good idea, thanks! What's the weather like outside?"

"Sunny and hot – a perfect pool day."

"Yay! Let's see, I need to call Gran after I eat, then I'll head for the pool."

"You know, I got you a couple of new bathing suits," Alicia told her.

"Really? Bikinis?"

"Yes, very cute ones. I think you'll especially like the bright pink one with the push up cups. You might want to wear it while you can – the bottom is low cut."

"Yeah, Baby E is going to start making his presence known so I'd better enjoy the small ones while I can," she laughed. "Do they make maternity swimsuits?"

"Yes, but it will be a while before you need one. Don't worry, I'll find you something cute before you need it."

"Thanks. Am I allowed to make requests, breakfast-wise?"

"Of course, you are. What would you like?"

"I'd kill for a big plateful of fried potatoes."

"You want to wait for it or do you want me to bring it out to the pool?"

"Out to the pool, please?" Sookie said apologetically.

"Alright, we'll get started on that right away. I'll just lay out your suit and pack your tote bag for you – did you want to use that white shirt again?"

"Yeah, I like using Eric's shirt. It reminds me of him."

"Alright, I think it's hanging in the bathroom."

Sookie wolfed down her steak and eggs and knew she'd still be able to eat a lot of potatoes because she was starving. Before she did anything else, she called Gran from the phone on Eric's nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Gran! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. How are you feeling, Honey?"

"Pretty good. A little nauseous but not too bad, I guess. I have some good news for you!"

"What's that?"

"I saw Hadley last night?"

"Hadley? My goodness, where is she?"

"She's in New Orleans. She was at the party Eric took me to that was such a big deal. She looks really good, Gran, I think she's cleaned up her act."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"I told her to give you a call, but don't hold your breath. I told her you'd been worried about her."

"Well, I'm very glad to know she's doing better. How is she making a living?"

"Um, I'm not sure, she lives with a nice lady, though, who I wanted to tell you about. Her name is Amelia and she's going to help me with some things. She wants to come up here for a bit and she needs a place to stay, so I was thinking maybe she could stay with you? You'd really like her, Gran, and she could help you with things around the house."

"Oh, I don't know, Sookie, a complete stranger…"

"She's really nice, Gran, I promise. Could she just stay a couple of days and you could see if you get along?"

"Well, I suppose I could handle a guest for a few days."

"OK, It will probably be next weekend, OK?"

"I suppose. Why isn't she staying with you?"

"It's kind of hard to explain – she's supposed to stay with you, to help you out, and you guys can visit a lot."

"That doesn't make a lot of sense, Sookie."

"Can you just trust me on this one? It's sort of part of the whole Fae/magickal baby thing. She's a teacher I need to help me get ready for the baby."

"Alright, well, if you think the baby will benefit, we'll give it a try."

"Thanks so much, Gran. Today is Saturday, right? I was thinking maybe I'd come over on Wednesday and hang out with you if you aren't going to be busy?"

"That sounds very nice. I'll bake a pecan pie for you, since I'll be baking for church that night."

"Oh, great! OK, well, I'm gonna let you go now, ok?"

"Alright, Honey, you take care of yourself."

"I will, Gran – you, too! I love you."

"I love you, too, Sookie."

Once she was off the phone, Sookie got dressed as quickly as she could in the gorgeous pink bathing suit Alicia put out for her and was in the water basking in the sun before Margaret had the potatoes scrubbed and sliced. She started out floating face up in case Baby E got nauseous again. She laughed at herself thinking the baby could already communicate with her but as she was floating she kept imagining he was "thinking" at her. If she closed her eyes, she could see him inside her, floating and sucking his tiny thumb. What was that phrase Amelia told her to think of?

'The Goddess, the Source of All Life,' she remembered and the baby agreed.

That was her imagination again, right?

She put both hands over her tummy and closed her eyes. Even if he were conscious, he'd have to be able to read her mind to know what she was thinking. That just wasn't possible. She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be writing this stuff down, but she didn't even think about it when they got home last night. Eric said something about getting a steno pad from his office, but she didn't know if he had done that or not.

"Miss Sookie, I brought you a glass of sweet tea," Alicia called from the side of the pool.

"Thanks, Alicia. Hey, you didn't happen to see a steno pad in my room anywhere, did you?"

"You mean the one in your tote bag?"

"What – over here?"

"Yes, it was laying on the table with your sunglasses and sunscreen and it had your name on it. I thought you intended to bring it with you?"

"Is there a pen with it?"

"Yes, there's one in the spiral at the top."

"Oh, OK, thanks."

"Your potatoes will be ready in just a little bit."

"Thanks."

Sookie figured she'd have to get out of the pool to eat, so she rolled off the mattress and made her way up to the table. There was a really pretty orange and fuchsia Indian print beach towel on the table with her tote bag, one of Alicia's new purchases, and Sookie wrapped it around her and walked around a bit until she was mostly dry. The steno pad was right in the bag where Alicia had put it, and Sookie smiled when she saw her name written in Eric's beautiful handwriting. She opened it and started to write what she could remember.

She knew for certain that she met Eric on Wednesday, April 26, 2006. She had sex with him on the 27th, and had a "visitor" which was the code she decided to use for when he killed René. The pink teddy bear was the 28th, Eric met Gran the 29th and they went to the lake, then her first time at Eric's house was Sunday, which would have been the 30th and that was also the day he had the lawn mower delivered.

They blood-bonded on May 1st, which struck her as significant but she wasn't sure why, but she put a star beside it, just in case. Eric met Jason at Merlotte's on the 2nd. She got the Camaro on the 3rd, the ring on the 4th and that was when Gran told her about Niall. She remembered it was Cinco de Mayo the night Eric met with Niall and they hit the drive-in and Wal-Mart.

Niall came for dinner on the 6th, she went shopping with Gran on the 7th, Alicia started on the 8th. The Queen's party last night was definitely the 12th so today was Saturday the 13th. Sookie looked at the list and decided that she must have gotten pregnant on the 2nd or 3rd right after the blood bond was established. That would mean she's only 10 days pregnant. She shouldn't even be having symptoms yet. The pregnancy test shouldn't have worked yet. But then this would only be a 6 month pregnancy – they're usually 9 – so how many days would that equal? 9 divided by 6 is 1.5, so 10 x 1.5 is 15 days.

She just stared at the paper, stunned. How could all this have happened in such a short time? And how could the pregnancy be this far along?

'OK, Sookie, it's a magickal baby, remember? It won't follow normal patterns,' she told herself. She looked in the bag again – yep, there was the book Eric got her. She thumbed through it, finding that there was part of it arranged by months. One page talked about a Pregnancy Timetable, splitting the pregnancy up into trimesters. OK, that was easy – First trimester for Sookie would be 8 weeks, Second to 16, Third to 24. Under a section called What You May Be Feeling, she saw that pregnancy symptoms usually don't start until the sixth week. This might be a stretch, but Sookie decided she was probably at the middle of the first "trimester," so she was going start with that. The next thing she saw was something about "frequent urination" and she was glad she was out of the water because just the idea of it made her need to go right now. She wrapped the towel around her waist and went in to the bathroom in the den.

As she started back to the pool, Margaret called her back. "Miss Sookie? Do you want to eat your potatoes out there or in here?"

"Actually, I guess I'll just eat them in here." She took her usual seat at the kitchen table and dug into the huge plate Margaret sat in front of her. "Thanks, these look delicious."

"Are you enjoying the sun today?" Margaret made small talk while she did her work.

"Yeah, I was reading that book Eric got me."

"The "What to Expect" book?" Alicia asked as she came in the room.

"Yeah. If you had to guess, how far along would you say I am now?"

"Well, you're having morning sickness and you're getting a little tummy – I'd say 8 weeks?" Alicia guessed

Margaret didn't say anything but she knew that wasn't possible. She was sure it was Mr. Northman's baby, so she knew the baby wasn't "human," so the timetable would vary.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking – like middle of the first trimester?"

"More like 2/3 of the way through, I'd say," Alicia suggested.

"Margaret, does that seem right to you?"

"That's what your symptoms seem to indicate, yes," she figured that was close enough.

"Are you having any cravings yet?" Alicia asked.

"I really wanted these potatoes. And this is going to sound crazy, but I really want anchovies, though I'm not sure I ever had them before."

Alicia and Margaret laughed knowingly.

"Maybe I should make you my special Caesar salad?" Alicia suggested.

"Yeah, I like those – they have anchovies sometimes, right?"

"Right. We'll try that and see if that satisfies your craving. If there's anything else…"

"I know they always joke about pickles, but that's not very appealing. Now, ice cream, on the other hand…" Sookie joked.

"What kind do you like?"

"Ben & Jerry's, mostly, as long as there's no bananas. Don't ever bring bananas around me."

"Not a favorite?" Alicia didn't know this but Margaret did.

"Yeah, I hate them even when I'm not pregnant."

"You need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, too."

"You know, my favorite way to eat veggies is raw. I love those trays they have at the grocery store with carrots and celery and little tomatoes, you know?"

"Crudités? Those are really good for you," Alicia would be very happy if she'd eat a lot of fresh vegetables.

"Yes, we can keep those around for you all the time. I'll make some up after I finish up with lunch and decide what we're doing for dinner," Margaret offered.

"Can you do baked chicken with dressing," Sookie asked apologetically.

"Yes, we can do that very easily. That'll leave leftovers for salads and sandwiches, too."

"Oh, good. Thanks!"

"When you're done eating, there's a big box from Amazon that Mr. Northman said you were expecting? Books of some sort, I assume?" Alicia told her

"Oh, yeah, cool. I'll have lots to read! Oh, I forgot – I was supposed to get Amelia's email from Eric…"

"I have Ms. Broadway's contact information for you, Miss, and Mr. Northman says that your email is Sookie AT E dot Northman dot org. I can help you access the email if you'd like.

"Yeah, I want to do that after I see what books he got me. Oh, yeah – do I have my pink sundress with me? It has a halter top with thin straps."

"I think I remember seeing that in your closet. Did you want to wear it today?"

"For tonight, yeah. I'm going to Fangtasia with Eric. I have to look really good and he specifically requested that dress."

"Alright, I'll see if it needs to be pressed or anything."

"Thanks. I have some white sandals I can wear with it up there."

"Do you want me to help you with hair and make-up?"

"Can you do a real natural look?"

"Yes, I can – just some dark lashes and pink lips."

"Yeah, exactly. I had my hair pulled back in a headband the first night I went there and he really liked it, so I want it straight back again, with a bit of body."

"No problem. Did you want to be dressed before he arrives?"

"Yeah, I do. I want a little more sun, though."

"Alright, then you should go back out as soon as you're finished and I'll call you at 5 o'clock for your shower and we'll get you dressed. You can look through your books after you're dressed."

"Good idea! OK, I'm going back out!" Sookie bounced back out to the pool, and lay face down on one of the lounge chairs with her top undone to get lineless sun on her back. She stayed what she figured was half an hour, then got back into the pool and floated sideways on the pink air mattress until Alicia told her it was time for her shower.

She shaved her legs and showered quickly, making sure she picked the Pantene shampoo and conditioner from the selection in the shower because she remembered that Eric loved the scent of it. In no time at all, Alicia was doing a great blow out on her hair, putting in some big Velcro rollers while she did Sookie's makeup just as she described – heavy lashes, pink lips and cheeks to set off her tan, sandy beige and soft brown eye shadows. By 6:15, they were headed downstairs, Sookie looking sun-kissed and radiant. She stopped into the downstairs office to open the box of books just to see what was there – two more pregnancy books and 4 books she assumed were about magick: The Spiral Dance, Positive Magic, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, and When God was a Woman.

"When God was a Woman?" She said to herself. The baby agreed. Ok, this was not her imagination, dammit, she was really feeling something distinct and it was always about … the Goddess? Sookie had never really encountered the idea before. 'I mean, yeah, I've heard of Venus the Goddess of love and like that but I never heard the idea of THE "god" being female. Is that possible?' Under the title of the book it said "The landmark exploration of the ancient worship of the Great Goddess and the eventual suppression of women's rites." Why was it spelled "rites" instead of "rights?"

She thumbed through the book, finding a page in front with several bits of what looked like scripture. She read the first one:

_In the Beginning there was Isis: Oldest of the Old, She was the Goddess from whom all Becoming Arose. She was the Great Lady, Mistress of the two Lands of Egypt, Mistress of Shelter, Mistress of Heaven, Mistress of the House of Life, Mistress of the word of god. She was the Unique. In all Her great and wonderful works, She was a wiser magician and more excellent than any other god._ Thebes, Egypt, 14th C. BC

Sookie thought back to learning about the 10 Commandments in Sunday school. The very first one was about not worshipping other gods because "he" was a "jealous god." It suddenly occurred to Sookie that "he" never said he was the _only_ god – just that you'd better not worship any others or he'd punish your children to the third and fourth generation. She remembered that seemed pretty harsh at the time. She remembered being about 8 and thinking how unfair it seemed to punish kids and grandkids and great grandkids for something their parent, or whatever, did, and it bothered her for a long, long time. That was the first time she ever remembered questioning anything about the church and she always felt that feeling of unfairness created a rift that never healed. Is it possible every thing she ever heard about "god" was wrong? Or at least, not what she was told? Why didn't people know about this?

"You look very serious and very beautiful, Dear One."

"Eric!" She dropped the book and hopped over to him, giving him a big kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You look very pretty tonight, Sookie, but you were so intent on what you were thinking. Has something upset you?"

"I was just looking at one of the books you got for me. I never… it's got some ideas I never heard of before."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"It is?"

"Yes, the whole point is to learn about magick and that will probably mean seeing the world in new ways, don't you think?"

"Yeah. You know Freyja, right?"

"Right."

"How is She related to the Great Goddess?"

"I believe a magician would say They are One and the Same, however, the Great Goddess might encompass more than Freyja as an individual."

"Huh?"

"This is a question for your Witch, Sookie. I am a warrior, not a magician. She will know how to explain it."

"Can I call her before we go to the club?"

"How about you have your dinner, then we'll go and you can call her from my office at the club? I should get in there and you might want to talk for quite a while once you get started."

"Yeah, that will work. You don't mind do you?"

"Not at all. I am pleased to see you burning with questions," he teased her, nuzzling her neck and making her giggle.

"Can I bring this book with me?"

"That's a very good idea. You might get bored and want to sit in the office and read."

"I can't imagine getting bored at Fangtasia but I do want to keep it with me for some reason."

"Margaret has your chicken ready, Dearest, you should eat."

Once Sookie was settled at the table with her dinner, Eric kicked it into vampire gear and took his shower and dressed. He was back in motorcycle boots, tight black jeans and a tight Fangtasia t-shirt before she finished her plate.

"Wow!" Sookie said when she saw him. "You look amazing!"

He could feel a little surge of lust in the bond when she saw him and that pleased him very much indeed. She didn't want dessert, so they were on their way before Margaret and Alicia had finished for the day.

Sookie was looking at the book in her hands as they drove, thinking hard, but it occurred to her she was being rude. "Do you usually go in this early, Eric?"

"Most nights we'll go in around 8. I need to get there early tonight in case Pam needs help with a shipment she's expecting."

"On a Saturday?"

"It's blood, not beer," he smiled at her. "Vampires work on a different schedule than human beverage companies."

"Oh, OK."

"We might have more vampires there than normal, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes, it's possible word of our engagement has spread since last night. There might be subjects who want to see us or congratulate us."

"Oh, yeah – I can see that. OK. Maybe I should have dressed up more?"

"You look perfect, Sookie. I could not ask for a prettier bonded. I'll be very proud to show you off."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sookie said, teasing him. If he only knew how hearing him say things like that made her heart race! "Honestly, though, Eric, I'm a little nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" Eric was surprised she said that. What was there to make her nervous?

"I've only been there once and it was a pretty eventful evening,"

Eric laughed, "yes, your introduction to Fangtasia was less than ideal. Do not worry, Sookie, you are with me now. There is nothing to fear… unless I decide to show you the basement…" he laughed again and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Is there really a round bed down there?"

"Oh, yes, a very big one."

Sookie bit her lip and looked out the window. She was scared and excited at the idea. Eric just waited until she was ready to speak again, feeling her excitement in the bond and smiling to himself.

"How many people does it hold?"

"3 or 4 comfortably, though it's on a solid wooden platform so it cannot break if there are more."

"What's the most people that have ever been in it at once?" She was still staring out the window. She didn't know why she felt embarrassed, but she did.

"Hmm – let's see… probably 7."

"Seven?"

"Yes, I think that was the most. Some of them were very petite, though."

"How many girls and how many guys?"

"1 male, 6 females."

She looked at him as her jaw dropped. "You and 6 girls at once?"

"Yes, but keep in mind that some of the girls preferred girls."

"Is that the most girls you've ever been with at one time?"

"No, it's not."

"Do I want to know what the most is?"

"Probably not. They were not playmates, they were payment."

"HUH?"

"I was a mercenary working for a warlord in a remote region of Asia. Part of my compensation was women."

She looked at him with big eyes, hardly breathing.

"It was a different time in a very different culture, Sookie. It was many lifetimes ago."

"You know, sometimes, I try to imagine all the things you've seen and done, and I can't wrap my mind around it."

"You know everything about me that matters, Sookie."

"How is that possible?"

"All that matters is right now, between us. You know how I feel when I am with you. You know how you feel when you are with me. The rest of it is shadows and dust from the past. It doesn't touch us now."

"Do you think a lot about your past?"

"No, not really. I remember most of it, but I don't dwell on it or pine for most of it."

They turned off the street into the back lot at Fangtasia. Eric parked the car and turned Sookie's chin so she was looking at him. "My favorite time is now, Sookie. Being here with you is the happiest time of my long life. The idea that you are having my son is so special to me, I cannot put it into words. Don't ever doubt that." He kissed her deeply for a long time, then before she knew it, he was opening her car door and leading her into the back door, which was propped open with a case of cheap beer.

"Good evening, Master," a girl with short bleached hair said as they entered the club.

"Ginger – where is Pam?"

"I think she's checking to club to see if everything is ready for tonight. She wasn't sure if the cleaning crew had finished the front room the way you like it."

"Alright, then, I'll want all the employees out front at 7:30. I have an announcement to make."

"Yes, Master," Ginger ran up front to spread the word as Eric took Sookie into his office.

"Alright, Sweetheart, make yourself comfortable while I check my email."

"OK," Sookie said, taking a seat at the end of the black leather couch and opening her book. "EW – is there a bathroom around here?"

"Out the door to the left, first door on the right."

She flew out into the hall and managed to get to the bathroom before she lost her dinner. Eric was behind her in a flash. "Are you alright, Sookie?"

"Morning sickness – it hit me really late today, I guess."

"Very late, indeed. Do you want to go home?"

"No, I want to hang out a while and you need to be here! I'll be OK."

"Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"Ginger ale might be good."

Eric helped her back into the office and helped her lie down on the couch. He pulled a blanket from a stack of stuff at the end of the couch and put it over her, then buzzed the front of the bar.

"Yes, Master?"

"Bring your Mistress a ginger ale immediately."

"Yes, Master!"

"Mistress?"

"Get used to it, Sweetheart, that's what they'll call you."

"No way to get out of that, huh?"

"No, you'll have to endure it," he laughed, teasing her.

Sookie just giggled at the idea and hugged the purple pillow she had her head on. "Why do you have pillows and blankets in here?"

"Just in case."

"In case what?"

"In case my pregnant fiancée feels ill and needs to lie down."

"Seriously."

"It's a bar, Sookie, people occasionally get sick and need to lie down. Don't worry, though, the pillow and blanket were cleaned recently because I knew you might need them some time."

"You're kind of ready for anything, aren't you?"

"One can only hope. I will admit to being caught by surprise a few times since I met you, though, Dear One," he laughed as he answered an email.

She giggled – she liked that.

A petite brunette in a fangtasia t-shirt brought a glass of ginger ale to Sookie and Sookie thanked her as she pulled a small table from the other side of the office to set it on.

"You don't have to thank them, Sookie," he said after the girl left the room.

"Yes, I do, Eric! Gran would be awfully disappointed if she knew I didn't thank someone who served me!"

"Well, we don't want to upset your grandmother, but I assure you, no one here will think less of you if you don't."

"So when do I get to see the big bed?"

Eric laughed again. He didn't remember ever laughing this much in his office before, and he liked it. "When you're up to it, I need to introduce you to the staff and we'll spend some time out front, then later I'll give you the deluxe tour."

"OK, good." She thumbed through the book looking at the pictures. "Snakes. There are a lot of snakes in this Goddess book."

"The snake is an almost universal symbol of the Goddess and of prophecy. In the vampire hierarchy, we have an elder known as the Ancient Pythoness."

"Pythoness?"

"Yes – have you ever heard of the Oracle of Delphi?"

"Yeah, sort of – she was a seer, right? In ancient Greece or Rome or whatever?"

"Yes, that is She. Does your book mention Her?"

"Delphi has two mentions, apparently and…" she thumbed through the index, "No Oracle but there's an entry for "Oracular div-in-a-tion?"

"Read those passages and see what they say," he suggested as he sorted his mail and made some notes for Pam.

Sookie looked up the references on pages 44, 203, 210-212, and 214. "I'm not going to have to handle snakes to do magick, am I?"

"I've never known a Witch to handle snakes."

"I'm not a Witch, though, right?"

"Ask Amelia – weren't you going to phone her?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Will it bother you if I talk while you're working?"

"Not at all – call your Witch and ask her about snakes." Eric knew a lot more about the Goddess than he was letting on because he thought it was better for Sookie to search out information and discuss it with Amelia. He'd fill in where he needed to, but so far, Sookie was finding her way pretty well and he was proud of her being so open-minded.

Sookie pulled out her phone and dialed Amelia.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Amelia, it's Sookie."

"Hey, Sweetie. What's up?"

"Well, I got some of the books Eric ordered for me today and I'm looking at one of them called **When God Was A Woman**, and I had some questions."

"How much of it have you read?"

"I'm just kind of skipping around in it so far, but I was wondering if I'm going to have to handle snakes to do magick?"

Amelia laughed, "no, snake-handling is not required."

"Whew! That's a relief. I don't think I could handle that."

"Snakes are usually associated with the Goddess because the part of your brain that does magick is the part of your brain that's reptilian."

"Part of my brain is reptilian?"

"Yeah, Carl Sagan called it the R-Complex, "r " for "reptile." It's the more ancient part of our brain. It's a part of our evolution. There were simple organisms that didn't have brains, then there were brain stems that regulated things like metabolism and heartbeat, then there was a reptilian brain, then a mammalian brain, then humans developed the frontal lobes. Magick mostly uses the R-Complex and the right frontal lobe, though not exclusively. They're parts of the brain that humans now-a-days don't understand, or else don't think much of."

"OK, I've heard people talk about right-brain, left-brain…"

"Right. Most people are left-brain dominant because we use language. It's mostly a function of the left-brain, which is linear, orderly, uses logic and words. The right brain is more symbolic, creative and intuitive. It doesn't have language, unless you count art and dreams, but those are images and not words."

"OK, and what exactly does the R brain do?"

"The R-Complex is all about instinct. It feeds, fucks and sleeps…"

Sookie laughed out loud at that.

"You like that, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry I interrupted…"

"No problem. Anyway, it likes ritual and archetypal images, the most powerful of which is Mother/Female. Reptiles are more likely than other kinds of animals to have only female members of a species."

"How do they have babies if there are no males?"

"It's called "parthenogenesis." Virgin-birth, though in Nature a female always has female babies in parthenogenesis."

"So there really are animals, living now, that reproduce that way?"

"Yes, there are, but mostly lizards and sharks. Elizabeth Gould Davis had a theory that at some stage our human ancestor might have been female only and that males only evolved later on."

"You're shitting me?"

"Sookie!" Eric spoke from behind his desk.

"You'd say it, too, Eric, if you heard what she's telling me."

"I can hear her, Dearest."

"Ok, sorry, Amelia."

"Yeah, most scientists won't admit that it's possible, but the genetics indicate that it is. Scientists just produced a mouse with two mommies and no daddy."

"They did?"

"Yeah, they did. Geneticists get pissed when people ask about doing that for human women, though – they don't want to think that males might be expendable. It's only a matter of time before some pair of power lesbians with a lot of money have a baby of their own, though," Amelia laughed.

"Do people know about this?"

"Very few. Most would call it science fiction or fantasy, but like I said, they've already done it with mice."

"OK, this might sound weird but when lizards do it, how do they…?"

"The same way they do it when there's a boy and a girl. Two females do the same sort of mating dances or behaviors and that induces an egg in one of the females to begin to divide."

"But no human female has been known to do it?"

"There are anecdotal stories of women giving birth parthenogenically. There was a woman in the second world war who was thought to have been triggered by a bombing, and there was a family one time where it was believed the women reproduced without sex and only gave birth to girls, but no doctors have every seriously researched the possibility. After thousands of years of hymenolatry, it's possible most of the women with that capability were killed off."

"What's "hymenolatry?"

"That's a word some feminists coined to refer to patriarchy's insistence on woman's virginity. It means "worship of the hymen." In many cultures for the past 6,000 years or so, even today in some areas of the world, if a woman weda and is found not to have a hymen, she might be killed. The irony of that is that the hymen is a genetic fluke and only about half of women are born with them. The ones that do have them can lose them riding a bike or a horse, doing stretches or gymnastics. They're not the determinant of virginity that those cultures believe they are."

"So if a woman wasn't born with one, she might be killed even if she really is a virgin?"

"Yes. And the fact that the practice has gone on so long is probably the reason they occur as frequently as they do. People have selected that those who have them are the ones who reproduce."

"Do I have that book you mentioned on my list?"

"Ask Eric – it's out of print, so I might have to get a copy of it for you."

"What's it called?"

"The First Sex by Elizabeth Gould Davis."

"Eric, did you hear that?"

"Yes, I ordered you a used copy, but it shipped separately, of course, so I don't know when you'll get it."

"Cool! OK, why don't people like the R-brain?"

"The R-complex is primitive and ritualistic. It's very territorial and it's the reason that people stop thinking when they're scared."

"Why do they stop thinking?"

"The reptile either goes forward for food or sex, it runs from its enemy, or it attacks. It doesn't have logic or reason. That's why Conservative politicians try to keep people afraid – scared people don't think, they just react. Tell a person he's in danger and you'll keep him safe and he'll vote for even if your track record says the complete opposite. Fear completely cuts off your higher brain functions. It's why Liberals have so much trouble talking to conservatives – they're using the left-brain to reason with people who have stopped thinking and are just reacting. They're trying to use language to communicate with the part of the brain that has no language."

"OK, so the reptile is bad?"

"No, just primitive. The thing is, people think we should move beyond it, but it's a part of us and it's not going anywhere. You have to give it an outlet, which is what ritual and magick are about. You can use certain combinations of sound, sight, color, smell, and get that part of the brain to tap into the Divine Feminine and then anything is possible."

"So the reptile is violent?"

"Only if it's threatened. It will move away from a fight if it can."

"So war is reptilian?"

"No, war is a very modern thing. There was no "war" until about 4,000 BCE. War is a tool of patriarchy, which used violence to overthrow the peaceful Goddess people of the old world. That's what that book you're looking at is about – the way patriarchy drove the Goddess underground."

"Why did it do that?"

"Greed. A few men were able to amass huge wealth and power by stealing, enslaving, raping and killing. There were waves of it up from the Near East and down from Scandinavia. Once they had control, they used religion to reinforce their own power and to encourage people to fight wars that gave them little personal benefit. The bible has one story after another where they slay entire cities of people and take their gold and silver."

"But weren't those other people wicked?"

"They were peaceful and matriarchal, for the most part. Most of them worshipped the Goddess – the golden calf was a symbol of Hathor, they talk about how their women burned incense for the Queen of Heaven, but old "jealous" told his "chosen people" to slaughter everyone who worshipped anyone else and take their valuables."

"This is giving me chills. I remember hearing those stories, but I never knew what they were doing. I thought everybody killed everybody in those days."

"No, we can thank the "god" of Abraham for most of it. The religions that came from that – Judaism, Christianity, Islam – spawned war after war, invasions, inquisitions, crusades, then when they killed most of the Pagans around them, or converted them through violence, they turned on each other because each group claims to be more "chosen" than the other. What we know as Christianity today is a blend of several tales of "once and future kings" who were consorts of a Goddess – Dionysus, Odin, Osiris, Mithras, Arthur, and a bunch of others all got synthesized into Jesus as the wave of patriarchy moved up through the Western world. Christianity was as successful as it was because they were willing to commit genocide everywhere they went."

"My head is spinning. That's like what they did to the Indians!"

"They did it everywhere they went. Try not to let it overwhelm you, Sookie. Sometimes, when a person learns the history of it all, if can create a kind of emotional or cultural disorientation. Some people have trouble adjusting to seeing our culture in a new light, but you'll get it in perspective pretty quickly, I'll bet. You've got Eric to help you stay grounded. I know that at first it's like finding out about The Matrix."

"I never saw that movie – should I?"

"It wouldn't hurt."

"Does this mean Jesus wasn't really the son of "god?""

"We're all children of the Goddess. Jesus was a great teacher. He may have been divine, or he may not, but you have to dig deep to find out what he really taught. A lot of his best stuff was left out of the bible."

"Huh? Who did that?"

"The Church went through all the texts several times and eliminated the stuff that didn't support their world view. It's been edited, rewritten, whole books left out. Most of the stuff people think they know about Jesus has nothing to do with the real person, if he really existed. He's not mentioned in any of the contemporary texts from that area, and all the texts attributed to him were written well after his death, or ascension, whichever."

"But I always felt like I had a personal connection…"

"You do, Sweetie, but what you're connected to just might not have the name or gender you've been taught to picture. Jesus, Isis, son of "god," Queen of Heaven – these are all aspects of the Divine Source and She's the total sum of all the others and us, too. She hears your prayers no matter what name you use to call on Her."

"She's not jealous?"

"No, She's our Mother. She loves us unconditionally. She may get sad, or even angry, at what we do, but She never stops loving us. There's no concept of sin, or damnation. You don't need to be saved. What you send out comes back to you, it's as simple as that."

"Where do we go when we die?"

"To the Summerland, which is basically back to the Source. If we're between incarnations, we see family, friends, decide whether to come back or whether to move on."

"You believe that or you know that?"

"I believe that. All any of us can do is make an educated guess. They've done studies recently that indicate that consciousness is non-local to the brain…"

"Non-local? Not located there?"

"Right – consciousness continues even when the brain can be confirmed to have stopped temporarily. When some people have been revived, they've found that they knew things that happened while the brain was not functioning, so the brain couldn't have recorded it. A Dutch doctor named Pim Van Lommel has been studying it for years. Of course, it's impossible to know for sure what happens when you die until you actually die. Any theory or religion might be right, or none of them, or all of them. All we can do is make educated guesses and do the best we can."

"I know people that are absolutely convinced they're going to heaven."

"They might be right, or they might be wrong. You can be pretty sure there's no eternal damnation, though, because that was added to the books later on to scare people into converting."

"That part I know – "the wages of sin is death" – you just don't get called to go to heaven."

"Did you know that at one point, Christians believed in reincarnation?"

"No – really?"

"Yeah, the belief changed a lot after Paul got involved, then it turned into something completely different once the church was established. Then the King James interpreters did a huge number on it."

"Our church always made a point to say that the King James bible was the direct word of "god.""

"A lot of people believe that. They claim "he" acted through the interpreters to get it the way "he" wanted it. Of course, the people that claim that usually don't know the whole history of the bible. I wonder how they'd feel if they knew how far from Jesus' teachings it really is."

"Honestly, I remember somebody comparing the King James to another interpretation somebody had and it just made people mad. They said "if it's been right all this time, why change it?""

"The irony of that is that it was changed all through history, so technically, it hasn't been right, they just thought it was."

"So, are Witches anti-Christian?"

"No. Goddess worship is much older, of course, so we're not "anti" anything, really, we're more positive about things. We aren't crazy about the church as an institution because of its history of violence against Pagans, or its current scandals where children are violated, but most of us have no problem with Jesus, though some doubt his existence. Some theories even say he was one of us."

"For real?"

"Yeah, there's a theory that he was an initiate of the Egyptian Mysteries. If you dropped the man as he's described when/if he existed into the world today, he'd have more in common with me than your average person who calls themselves a Christian."

"I was always taught he was about forgiveness."

"That's closer to the truth. There are churches, of course, that take a more tolerant approach to spirituality and we have no conflict with them at all. Some of them don't even believe in original sin."

"Wiccans don't though, right?"

"No, the Adam and Eve myth is designed to subjugate women. Notice it's the Goddess and the snake again. The two types of religion existed side by side for centuries, then once the Abrahamites took over by violence, they redefined everything Goddess-related as evil. The apple was one of the Goddess's sacred fruits, so that was used as the symbol for the "fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil." That's really just another way of saying they wanted women out of power and out of the church. The book will explain it better than I can."

"Yeah, I've got a lot of reading to do. So, when do I learn to do magick?"

"Some of those books are about magick. You need a little background in history, or rather Herstory, so you know the source of your power, but that's just two of the books to start out. The others are specifically magick."

"Cool. OK, now, how does Freyja relate to the Great Goddess?"

"OK, the Great Goddess is the ultimate source of everything that is, was, ever was, ever will be. Everything that exists is a part of Her all encompassing body. Freyja is an aspect of the Goddess – a part of Her that is oriented to Scandinavian culture, so She has specific strengths, weaknesses, qualities, correspondences that are more relevant to her than to a Mediterranean or an American Goddess, for example…"

"There are American Goddesses?"

"Yes, there a many Goddess among the indigenous people of the Americas. One of them, Tonantzin, is still worshipped as the Virgin of Guadalupe. There are Native American Goddesses like White Buffalo Calf Woman and Ananzi, the Spider Grandmother. Some modern Wiccans identify Lady Liberty as our own Goddess of the US. Every culture on earth will have a divine Mother if you go back to their origins. Some lost them along the way, or turned them into males, but in the beginning, there is, and always will be, Goddess."

"So a specific Goddess is a part of the bigger Goddess and has some limitations, but it's all connected?"

"Exactly. By the way, in about eight weeks, you can meet my teacher, Octavia!"

"Really!"

"She'll really lay it all out for you. Try to read as much as you can between now and then, OK? She's planning to spend July 4th with us."

"Yeah, I will. Oh, and I checked with Gran, she's cool with you staying with her for a bit."

"Great! I was thinking about coming up on Saturday, the 20th."

"I'll let her know and I'll email you the address and directions."

"Fantastic. I'm looking forward to sitting down and going over books with you!"

"Me, too. I have so many questions!"

"Those books will go a long way toward answering them, but Octavia and I will fill in where we need to."

"OK, well, thanks for talking to me! I think Eric wants to introduce me to people now."

"OK, Hon, have fun and stay in touch."

"I will! Thanks!"

"Ready to go out front, Dearest? It's almost 7:30"

"Yeah, just let me check my hair and makeup." She got up and looked in the mirror over the couch, making a minor adjustment to her hair and announcing, "OK, I'm ready," as she threw her book on the couch.

Eric held the door open and let her walk ahead of him. He guided her down the hall and into the main room of the club, where the staff was waiting in front of the stage Eric's throne sat on. He helped Sookie step up next to his chair and called the room to attention. "Good evening, everyone! Some of you might have heard my wonderful news, that I have bonded and become engaged to Miss Sookie Stackhouse," he held his hand toward her, palm up presenting her and the small crowd applauded a bit and Sookie waved at them. "Some of you might have heard, as well, that Sookie is carrying my child. As impossible as it seems, it is true. I am going to have a son."

Everyone looked at each other with jaws dropped and eyes wide.

"He will be a child of magick."

You could hear people say "Ohhh" and "amazing" and other things as they digested the news that magick had made it possible for their Master to have a child.

"Now, I want you all to remember that Sookie is your Mistress, and her word is law here. When you serve her, you are serving me and you will behave and respond accordingly, understood?"

"Yes, Master!" They all responded nearly at once. Sookie was just a little freaked out by it.

"That is all – you may go about your work." He motioned for Sookie to sit next to him and held her hand as the employees formed a line in front of them. Sookie spent the next 15 minutes smiling, nodding and saying 'thank you' as the collection of vampires, Weres and a few odd (very odd!) humans filed past saying, "Welcome, Mistress," "Congratulations," and other greetings and well wishes.

When the crowd abated, Eric asked her, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I guess not. What do we do now?"

"We chat, we watch the action in the room, we greet visitors or those who seek my help."

"OK, so I think I got us up to date in that steno pad you left for me."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I should hardly be pregnant at all, but as near as I can figure, I'm the equivalent of about 2 months pregnant."

"I'll leave those calculations to you women. Just remember that because magick is involved, things may not go in the normal way."

"Yeah, I got that. You know what's weird, though?"

"What is that?" He perked up because he was resisting the urge to grill her about every sensation she experienced from the pregnancy.

"When I'm lying in the sun, I swear I can see him in my mind, floating inside me, sucking his tiny thumb. And, I swear, this isn't my imagination because it's happened like three times already, he likes it when I talk or even think about the Goddess."

Eric smiled proudly. "I hope that is a sign that he knows Freyja well. It would be a great honor if She were to favor him."

"That makes sense, I guess, since She made him possible."

A thin vampire man in a very nice grey suit approached the stage then and Eric motioned for him to approach.

"Hello, Sheriff Northman?"

"Yes, I am the Sheriff."

"I am Louis van Kamp. I notified you that I would be relocating to Area 5?"

"Yes, I received it. Are you settled here now?"

"Yes, Sheriff and my business will be opening on the 15th."

"Alright, your tribute will be pro-rated to account for the mid-month opening."

"Thank you, Sheriff. You might be receiving applications from several of my former neighbors."

"You're from Area 3, yes?"

"Yes, there are… some problems in the area that… well, some of the business people are looking to move on because of changes in tribute."

"Changes in tribute? Are you paying more than 10%?"

"Yes, Sheriff, some are being asked to pay 15."

"Interesting. If you should speak to any of your old neighbors, encourage them to stay in this territory. Have them come directly to me about locating here in Area 5 if they aren't comfortable going to Sheriff Maxwell. I'll take it upon myself to notify the Queen's offices. If you have any further problems, feel free to come to me."

"Thank you, Sheriff, I know they'll appreciate your help."

"Keep me apprised of the situation, alright?"

"Yes, Sheriff. Congratulations on your engagement, Miss…?"

"Allow me to introduce my fiancée, Miss Sookie Stackhouse."

"Very pleased to meet you, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie gave him a big warm smile. "It's nice to meet you, too. I hope you like it here in Area 5."

The man's eyes brightened because he hadn't expected such a friendly greeting. "Thank you, Mistress, I'm sure I will. Thank you for your time, Sheriff." The little man nodded and walked back out to the bar in front and ordered a True Blood.

"Is that going to be a problem, Eric?"

"Not for us. It appears Sabrina might be doing something behind the Queen's back, which is never a good idea. I'll have to keep an eye on the situation and let Sophie Ann know if there are irregularities."

"Is that your job – to report on another Sheriff?"

"It is my job to protect my Queen and her interests. If someone is stealing from her, or misrepresenting her, I have an obligation to inform her and defend her."

"Could Sophie Ann keep us from getting married?"

"No, that would constitute interfering with our bond and the Council would never allow that."

"The Council?"

"The Global Council that governs all Supes."

"So it includes all kinds of Supes?"

"Yes, Vampires, Fae, Weres and Shifters, Witches and Wizards occasionally, Seers, Priestesses, Angels…"

"So that's the ultimate ruling power for Supes?"

"No, the ultimate is the Living Pantheon. The Council answers to them and only to them. "

"Are people elected to the Council?"

"No, they are invited by the sitting body, sometimes at the recommendation of the Living Pantheon."

"Pantheon is gods and Goddesses, right?"

"Exactly – it's made up of those who still exist."

"So Freyja is one of Them?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Could She take you away from me?"

"No, nor would She want to. That is the opposite of Her plan as I understand it."

"The opposite? So She gave you to me?"

"She incarnated as you to be with me."

"So She gave me to you?"

"Yes, because you are She."

"And me being with you is Her being with you?"

"Yes."

"Do I have any say in it?"

"You'll have to ask Amelia about that. That's why I initially contacted her."

"So you don't know what the rules are?"

"In a manner of speaking, no, I don't know exactly how it works. I know Her intention, but I don't know the limitations."

"I'd like to know that, too."

"You and Amelia will explore that, I'm sure, and perhaps you'll ask Freyja Herself."

"You really think that might be possible?"

"I would be very surprised if you don't begin communicating with Her directly sometime before the baby is born."

"I would really like that. I have a lot of questions for Her!"

Pam stepped inside the door to the room and pointed a man in a black and grey uniform toward the dais. The man had a large envelope in his hands and he approached Eric, saying, "Sheriff Northman?"

"Yes, I am."

"Special Delivery from Anubis Airlines. I need your signature to acknowledge receipt." He handed a brown clipboard to Eric and Eric signed where he indicated.

Eric made a slight motion with two fingers to the bar at the side of the room and the barmaid came rushing over to him. "Yes, Master?"

"Take $20.00 from the cash register and give it to this man as a tip, then tell Pam to record it."

"Yes, Master."

The man thanked Eric and went back to the bar with the girl to get his tip. Eric sniffed the envelope then tore it open. It turned out to be a collection of maps and registries for the Nevada territories with a cryptic cover letter that bore the seal of the Global Council. All it said was "Confidential: for future reference."

Eric didn't say anything, but he slipped the papers back into the envelope and told Sookie, "come with me, Sweetheart," offering his hand and leading her back to his office.

Once they were inside he locked the door to his office and buzzed the front. "Yes, Master."

"I'll be in my office for a bit, but if anyone needs to speak to me on official business, buzz me."

"Yes, Master."

He motioned for Sookie to be quiet. "Come with me," he said softly and opened a door behind his desk to the left that led to stairs going down. He motioned for Sookie to go downstairs, and he followed, closing the door behind them. There was the big round bed – damn! – but Eric still had the envelope with him and Sookie knew they weren't down here for sex.

"Come sit down, Sookie." Eric led her to the bed and sat down and she sat with him.

"What's going on, Eric?"

"This package is very strange. I wanted to talk somewhere I was sure there would be no listening devices."

"What is it?"

"It's the registry and maps of a different Territory and it has the official seal of the Council on it."

"What's a registry?"

"A list of the people who live there, their positions and the tribute they pay."

"But it's for a different area?"

"Yes. It's for the Nevada Territories."

"Why would you need that?"

"Exactly. Why would I?"

"What do you think is going on?"

"Sookie, we are bonded. I'm going to be honest with you and I need to know that you will not tell a soul what I'm going to say."

"Yeah, of course, Eric."

"I suspect the Nevadas are about to invade the Louisiana Territories and someone wants me to have what I need to strike back and follow them home."

"So, like, their king is going to go after Sophie Ann?"

"That would be my guess, and I'm either supposed to stop them, or drive them back and take over both."

"How would you do that?"

"I'm not sure. If Sophie Ann were attacked, her subjects would rise up against an invader, but that wouldn't require knowing anything about the Nevadas. I only need this if I'm to invade that Territory."

"Do you think she knows she's in danger?"

"No, I'm sure she has no idea, or she'd have told me."

"Is there any way to find out what the plan is?"

"I have to think about that. I have to think about what this means."

"Why didn't they send this to Sophie Ann?"

"Exactly – why didn't they?"

"Do they not want her to win?"

"It would appear the Council expects me to stop it, or to step into her place, and move against the Nevadas as well. I assume they have a King or Queen in mind for that Territory, but then again, why would I need the registry if that were the case."

"Is this going to happen soon?"

"It could happen tonight, it could happen 3 years from now. When it does, they want me to be ready."

"Is there anyone you can ask about this?"

"I might be able to ask the Ancient Pythoness. She'll either tell me nothing or she'll give me a riddle - she rarely says things plainly."

"Well, a riddle would be better than no clue at all, right?"

"Right."

To be continued!


	14. Chapter 14

[A/N: I know some of you don't like Bobbie, which breaks my heart, but some of you do. She's based on a real person I know, who is the kindest, sweetest person you'd ever want to meet and a very gifted healer, though her Goddess orientation and sexual attitudes are my addition to the character. Sookie needs everything Bobbie has to offer, not just therapeutically, but her friendship, her knowledge of the Goddess and sex, and the moral support she'll provide. If you don't like Bobbie, you might have the wrong picture of her. There's nothing to dislike. Also, remember that at this point, the only Fairy Sookie has met is Niall.

WARNING: The topic of Uncle Bartlett makes a brief appearance, so if that's a trigger for you, Stop reading when Bobbie goes to bed.]

**Part 14 At First Sight**

Sookie was on her knees, again, on the floor of the bathroom. This last week had been a rough one where the pregnancy was concerned. The morning sickness was pretty severe for weeks 2 through 4, then subsided for most of week 5, but this week, number 6, it was back with a vengeance, hitting her right around 4:30 every afternoon. She had gotten to the point where she couldn't even be in the room with a fried egg or a glass of orange juice, or, as of this week, a bowl of oatmeal. "Breakfast" was usually a small rare steak, or nitrate-free BLTs which she was eating 4 or 5 of at a time. Ginger ale didn't seem to help but she could manage to keep down some Diet Rite cola if it was really cold and she sipped it slowly. She rarely ate at 6 anymore, but by 8 in the evening most nights she was ravenous and ate like a field hand. Margaret was staying later, making three dinners every night, leaving two that Eric could feed her after she left.

When she was nauseous, Sookie spent a lot of time in the afternoons just lying in bed, watching movies and staring at her tummy, trying to decide if she was showing or getting fat from eating so much at night. It seemed as if it was way too soon, but all the new bulk was in that little tummy area so she had to admit that it was Baby E making his presence known already. Dr. Ludwig estimated, based on Sookie's weight gain and the size of her tummy, that this would be a 24-week pregnancy. Sookie looked at the little pocket calendar that Alicia bought for her and looked at the circled date: Halloween. Gran shook her head and Amelia was tickled to death when the doctor suggested that date as the target. Sookie had a feeling it was all a part of the "master plan," and that irritated her in a way she couldn't explain.

Shouldn't she have been consulted before all of this happened? One day, she's waiting tables and the next day she's living in a mansion and throwing up half the day. Eric had concluded that he wasn't consulted so he wouldn't have a chance to say 'no' but was that true of Sookie, too? Did it matter?

Actually, when she was throwing up, it all seemed to matter. She knew this wouldn't last for the whole pregnancy, but the cool surface of the bathroom floor was not conducive to keeping things in perspective.

"Sookie, honey, can I get you anything else?" Adele asked anxiously from the door.

"Thanks, Gran, this soda is enough as long as the ice lasts. Is Amelia out there?"

"Right here, Sweetie."

"Can you help me get back to bed? I think I'm done." Amelia helped steady Sookie as she struggled to stand, stopping at the sink to rinse her mouth and wipe her face.

Gran wet a washcloth with cold water as Amelia tucked Sookie in, folding it and laying it on her forehead once she was settled. Alicia brought the glass of soda with a hot-pink bending straw and put it on her nightstand. "Just sip it slowly, Dear, and when the ice melts, I'll bring more." Alicia said as she went back to putting Sookie's laundry away.

"Thanks, everybody. I'm sorry to be so much trouble!"

"Now, now, Sweetheart, don't you, worry about that," Adele told her, "just keep thinking about how wonderful it's going to feel when you hold that little baby in your arms."

"Were you this sick when you had babies, Gran?"

"No, Darlin,' I wasn't, but your mother was sick as a dog with you and your brother."

"How long did it last, again?"

"About five months, as I recall. She always said she knew she was over the hump when she stopped throwing up every day."

"I can't do this that long!"

"It won't last that long, Sookie," Amelia assured her, "this has been shorter and shorter every day. It's only about 6 now – almost time for Eric!"

"Oh, good. I'm just glad the wedding has to be after dark because if it was in the daytime, I'd never make it."

"Think about how nice that's going to be Sookie," Amelia reminded her, "all your friends and family will be there, and you're not showing so much that you can't get into your dress!"

"Yeah, that's major. The last thing I wanted to do is walk down the aisle with a huge baby bump."

"You know, most of your side won't know you're pregnant, Sookie," Gran hoped, anyway.

"Yeah, but they'll find out. Even though the dress kind of hides it, all of Eric's guests know and I'm sure they'll say something that gives it away."

"I've been thinking, Honey, that it might be time to tell Jason," Gran gently broached the subject.

"He hasn't figured it out yet?" Amelia was sure he would have known by now.

"If he has, he hasn't said anything, and I'm pretty sure he'll have something to say," Gran was sure of that.

"Jason's not the brightest bulb in the box, ya know?" Sookie said, trying to laugh.

"Has Hadley said anything about her bridesmaid dress?" Gran wondered

"No, but I know she tried on the one I picked and she ordered one, so I guess she's OK with it." Sookie didn't really care if Hadley showed up or not, but she was sure she would because Sophie Ann had RSVP'd with twenty guests.

"Do you have your dress yet, Amelia?" Sookie couldn't remember what she told her.

"I pick it up tomorrow, Darlin' and Adele's too. We're all set."

"OK, now what is it you and Gran have been putting off telling me?" Sookie demanded, "and don't say nothing because I know there is something."

"Well, Sweetie, there's been a little… interest… from the tabloids," Amelia tried to break it gently.

"Tabloids?"

"They don't seem to know for sure, but they're snooping around," Gran explained.

"About what?"

"The first vampire baby in recorded history," Amelia finally spilled it.

"Please tell me it's not going to be a zoo?" Sookie wailed.

"Alicia, has Eric said anything yet?" Adele asked.

"Yes, he has a special security firm engaged. No one who isn't invited will get within a mile of the house. Everyone is going to have to go through a gate, park at Mr. Compton's house and walk through the cemetery to get to the wedding," Alicia explained.

"They're parking at Bill's house? Whose idea was that?" Sookie asked

"Mine," Eric laughed from the doorway.

"ERIC!" Sookie motioned, wanting a hug right this second.

He sat on his side of the bed and gave her a big hug. "How is my darling wife-to-be tonight?"

"Ugh – sick."

"But doing better than you have been at this time lately," Amelia reinforced the point with her.

"True, you are not in the bathroom as you have been recently when I arrive," Eric agreed.

"OK, now that Eric is up, we're going to head out," Amelia said as she and Adele nodded at each other.

"Are you all sure you don't want to stay another night?" Sookie asked hopefully

"Nope, you need some time with just you and Eric. You kids are going to enjoy your weekend, and then come Monday, Project Awesome Wedding goes into effect," Amelia laughed.

"Yes, and we have a lot to do this weekend to get ready. We're making favors for the guests and centerpieces for the tables," Gran reminded her. "You wouldn't believe what they're going to have in them!

"Well, be careful driving home!" Sookie gave them both hugs and kisses as they said goodbye and made their way out to the car.

"I'll see them out," Alicia said, leaving Eric and Sookie alone for a bit.

"Is it true what they said about tabloids, Eric?"

"Yes, it is, but the security firm I have engaged should be able to ensure our privacy."

"I'm sorry you have to go to all that expense, though!"

"Don't worry about small things like that, Sookie. Your only concern is taking care of you and the baby. Do you think you can eat?"

"No, not yet. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Dear One. Whatever is comfortable for you is fine."

"Look," she pulled the covers down and her nightgown up, patting her belly. "He gets bigger every day!"

"Yes, he does. What a lucky boy to have such a lovely warm nest to grow in," he bent down and kissed her belly.

"I feel so much better when you're here, Eric, I can't even tell you!"

"Good. It's nice to come home to someone who looks forward to seeing me."

"You have no idea – though you're lucky you get to miss most of the nausea," she laughed as she reached for the soda to take a sip.

"Is that helping your tummy?"

"Yeah, definitely, but only if it's really cold. Hey, don't let me forget my midnight bottle of True Blood tonight – we forgot last night and Baby E was hungry."

"How do you know that?" he laughed, but he was serious in wanting to know. He was keeping notes, too, because Sookie wasn't doing enough of it.

"Oh, he lets me know when he wants me to eat – he wakes up really fussy if I forget to eat late at night."

"How do you know this, Sookie?"

"I can feel - it in the bond, I guess? I just know how he feels when he's awake. I'll tell you something else, too – I don't think one bottle a day is enough for him. I swear he wants one right now."

"Do you think you could keep it down if you tried?"

"Let's find out, because he's not going to let up."

"What is he doing, exactly, Sweetheart?"

"You can't feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"That pulling or wanting that's in the bond. Here, put your hand here and concentrate." Sookie put his hand on her stomach and held it there. "Say hi to Daddy, Baby E! Talk to him, Eric."

"Isn't it too early for that?"

"Not if my calculations are correct. Talk to him."

"How are you feeling, my son?" Eric felt strange about talking to Sookie's belly but quickly got over it when he was rewarded with a kick and a sensation in the bond he'd never felt before. He laughed with delight as the baby responded to him.

"You felt that, right?"

"Yes, I did! That's amazing! Are you happy, my boy?"

Kick – kick – WANT

"You are right, Sookie – he's hungry."

"Right, so get me a blood, please? Actually, bring a few of them because I think I'm going to need more than one tonight."

"I'll be right back," he zipped downstairs to the kitchen and got five bottles of True Blood. "Here you go, Sookie, I'll put these in your little fridge over here in case you want more."

"Thank you. I'm so glad we got that little fridge. I never saw one that size before – I'm so glad Alicia knew they existed," Sookie laughed. "I've only ever seen the real tiny dorm-room sized ones."

"Yes, it's very useful for your late night meals," he agreed as he opened one of the bottles and put a straw in it.

Sookie took the bottle and sucked it down in no time at all. "Ah – that's good. Can I have another one, please?"

"Yes, of course, you can." Eric took another bottle out of the fridge and opened it for her. She drank about half of it straight down, then sipped the rest.

"Sookie, where is your steno pad?"

"Check the pink bag hanging on the chair there, Sweetie," she said as she settled back and tried to get comfortable.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Northman?"

"Come on in, Alicia,"

"I just unpacked some of the boxes we got today and this wedge I ordered for you arrived."

"Oh, yeah, great!"

"What is that?" Eric asked

"It should help her breathe better when she sleeps. She's been snoring a bit, which is not unusual at this stage of pregnancy."

Eric sat at the side table and opened Sookie's laptop. "What stage do we think she's at now?"

"We were thinking it's the equivalent of 18 weeks, right Alicia?"

"That seems about right." Alicia helped Sookie get settled and went down to see about her dinner.

Eric found the browser Sookie had open to the **What to Expect **website for 18 weeks and read through it. "The only symptoms you seem to be having are the larger belly, larger breasts and nasal congestion, yes?"

"The back problems are starting, too, but yeah, Amelia and I think that drinking from you so often is preventing things like bleeding gums and vein problems."

"Your skin is flawless, too. That seems a great advantage."

"Absolutely. I can definitely live without varicose veins or hemorrhoids," she made a silly face that made him laugh as his phone rang.

Eric went around the bed to his nightstand and picked it up. "Yes, Dr. Ludwig?"

"I need to do a check up on your little fiancée and I need to know if you'll be at your home at 8 PM tonight?"

"We are both available any time tonight. We have no plans to go out."

"Good. You have an interview with a masseuse Niall recommended at 8. She's got impressive credentials for a human."

"You've spoken to her?"

"Yes, and she knows about vampires and Fae."

"That would be a great advantage."

"Ideal for what you need and I've checked her references. She has experience with treating two kinds of patients – depressed Supernaturals and pregnant females or new mothers of several orders."

"That's an unusual combination."

"It has to do with the specialized aromatherapy she does – those particular conditions respond dramatically to the right scents and massage techniques. Her work is groundbreaking – why she hasn't published, I don't know, but you won't find many individuals of any stripe with her combination of skills. Niall pulled a few strings to get her to your door, so unless you take a real dislike to her, I'd say you should hire her. Sookie will be getting uncomfortable soon and proper massage will help her a great deal with that. This is a lot of change for her little body in such a short span of time."

"What is her name?"

"Roberta James. You talk to her and then I'll see you at 10 tonight in your room to check on her progress."

"Alright, we'll be here. Thank you, Doctor."

Sookie looked at him expectantly.

"We're going to be interviewing a masseuse at 8 pm."

"A masseuse? For me?"

"Yes, the doctor says proper massage will help your body adapt to the pregnancy. I've read the same thing on line. I think it's a very good idea."

"So it's quarter to seven now. Should I take a shower?"

"Are you really up to that?" Eric thought she still seemed shaky.

"Not really."

"Then stay put. I'll bring her up here for your interview."

"Is that rude?"

"Not at all. You are indisposed – her purpose will be to alleviate some of the discomfort you are having."

"You'll be here, too, right?"

"Of course, unless you'd like me to leave…"

"No way, I've never interviewed anyone before."

"Well, this should be fairly simple. The doctor has spoken to her and is very pleased with her skills. She said unless you really dislike her we should hire her."

"Where did she find this person?"

"Niall found her," he said as he went back to the computer.

"What if she's here to check up on us?"

"Whether she is or not, I'm sure she'll be very skilled. Niall has a lot invested in this child."

"Invested? As in money?"

"I doubt that money is changing hands, but there is a great deal of political maneuvering going on. There's no doubt in my mind that he wants to ensure that the child is healthy. He wouldn't recommend her unless he thought she would help you."

"You're sure of that?"

"Yes, I am. As devious as he might be, he'll protect you and he'll protect our child."

"What are you looking for now?"

"Dr. Ludwig said she practices something called "aromatherapy.""

"What's that?"

""**Aromatherapy** is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mood, cognitive function or health. The effectiveness of aromatherapy is yet to be scientifically proven, however some evidence exists that essential oils may have therapeutic potential.""

"Where'd you find that?"

"Wikipedia."

"OK, so it's something new?"

"Non-traditional, at least. Ask her about it. The doctor said some of her work is ground-breaking."

"What's her name?"

"Roberta James."

"She sounds very serious."

"Try to keep an open mind."

"OK – how bad do I look?"

"You look fine, Sookie. No one would believe you had been sick today. You're a little bit pale, that's all."

"That I can believe. I haven't had a pool day in a week."

"You'll be back in the pool soon. You are approaching the time in your pregnancy where the morning sickness will stop."

"I hope you're right. I've heard of some women who are sick the whole time."

"You won't be one of them – you're too healthy and you are drinking my blood."

"Yeah, that's one of the best parts," she giggled.

"Oh, is it now?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Yes, especially because of what we're doing when we do it," she laughed. "You know, I think being pregnant is making me…" she nodded her head and looked up as if she were trying to find a word.

"Aroused?"

"Yeah. Is that possible?"

"Let me see…" he did something on the computer she couldn't see.

"Where are you looking?"

"Pregnancy A-Z on that same website. Here we are – "increased Sex Drive During Pregnancy" – it says every woman is different and that some do experience an increase even beyond what their mates would want. You won't have that problem," he laughed.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Your mate will always want sex as much as you do. I can go on indefinitely while the sun is down."

"That's good to know because these days, when I'm not nauseous, I'm… horny."

Eric cracked up. "When did you start using such coarse language?"

"I don't know but in this case, the word fits. It's like my whole being is centered right between my legs. It's all I think about unless I'm sick."

"Mmm – we'll be sure to make the most of that while it lasts."

"Good. I'm glad you don't have to go to the club tonight."

"So am I. I'm concerned about leaving you alone tomorrow night, though."

"Yeah, but if I feel this way, you're going to have to. There's no way I could get myself together to go out tonight."

"Knock, knock?"

"Come on up, Alicia,"

"Do you think you can eat some now, Dear?"

"I can try – what have you got?"

"Well, we thought we'd try a different approach, so you've got fried chicken and mashed potatoes with broccoli and a big piece of strawberry cake." Alicia waited at the foot of the bed until Eric helped Sookie sit up more.

"Strawberry cake?"

"I never heard of it, either, but I had a piece downstairs and it's delicious. It has walnuts in it and big hunks of berry." She settled the tray across Sookie's lap.

"And I get fried chicken? That rocks!"

"We thought that the bland food didn't seem to be working so we're trying some of your favorites. I just hope you can keep it down."

"Me, too. It smells so good!"

"Well, there's more of it, so you dig in and if you want more, I'll be glad to get it for you."

"Thank you so much! Tell Margaret 'thanks,' too." Sookie tore into a big fried chicken breast like she was starving, because she was. As soon as the nausea faded, her appetites – all of them – became fierce. "I need to be done by 8, though, because this lady is coming for an interview."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Sookie's doctor is sending a masseuse over to see if they can work together," Eric explained because Sookie's mouth was full.

"That's a marvelous idea!"

"It is?" Sookie asked

"Oh, yes – that will make you feel much better. Imagine having a massage down by the pool after a nice swim."

"That does sound pretty good," Sookie laughed.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, no – she's early!" Sookie was worried about eating in front of her.

"Don't you worry a bit – she'll understand that you've been ill if she knows anything about pregnant women," Alicia assured her.

"I hope so."

"You keep eating Sookie and I'll go down and explain the situation, then I'll bring her up," Eric said.

"I hear Margaret taking her into the living room," Alicia told him.

"Yes, I'll be right back," Eric excused himself and went down to the living room. Alicia straightened up the room a little, just to make Sookie more comfortable with having someone in there, though there wasn't much out of place.

Eric came into the living room where the masseuse was sitting on the couch with a big black bag that had a pungent-but-pleasant amalgam of scents to it. She was about medium height, pretty, a little plump, but not too much, with long, dark, wavy/curly hair and a big smile. She had a gentle hippie vibe that Eric knew Sookie would love.

"Ms. James? I'm Eric Northman." He offered his hand, which surprised her because most vamps wouldn't, but she shook it enthusiastically.

"Please, call me Bobbie. You're _Sheriff_ Northman, right?"

"Yes, I am. My fiancée has been ill this afternoon and is in bed trying to eat dinner. Would you mind going up to her room?"

"Not a bit. Lead the way."

Eric led her back to the staircase, noticing that there was a tiny jingle from some silver decorations on the drawstring waist of her gauzy purple Indian print skirt. She was wearing a loose denim jacket and a simple purple t-shirt with a scoop neck underneath it. Eric was smiling to himself because he knew Sookie was expecting someone more severe and serious. His intuition was humming.

"Right this way, Bobbie."

Alicia was just coming out of the room, so Eric introduced her as Sookie's lady's maid, then let her enter the room before him.

Sookie was shocked and delighted – this girl looked like someone you'd go to a Counting Crows concert with, not like a medical person.

Eric tried not to laugh out loud at the joy Sookie sent into the bond when she walked into the room. "Sookie Stackhouse, soon to be Sookie Northman, this is Bobbie James."

"Hi, Bobbie!" Sookie offered her hand, "I'm so sorry I couldn't come downstairs. Would you like some fried chicken? There's plenty of it."

"Oh, no, thanks, I've already eaten." Bobbie grabbed a side chair and sat it right next to Sookie so she could check her out while they talked. "So, I hear you're having some nausea?"

"Yeah, it's been pretty severe from about 4:30 every day until about 7 or 8, then around this time I get super hungry."

"How far along are you?"

"Well, you know that there's some unusual circumstances, right?"

"Yes, he's a vampire/Fae hybrid, right?"

"Right and they're not sure how it's going to work, but here's what I think. I'm pretty sure I'm 6 weeks along, but that I'm the equivalent of an 18 week pregnancy."

"OK, so Mid-second trimester?"

"Yeah,"

"Has the nausea been tapering off a bit recently?"

"Yeah, I was really sick for the first 5 weeks, then I was OK for a week and able to float in the pool and stuff and then this last week I got really sick again but my friend Amelia says it's been less and less every day."

"That's a good sign. You'll probably be over that in the next few days and you'll be able to function again. We can do a little Aromatherapy to make it a little easier to bear, too. Would it be OK if I looked at your legs?"

"Sure, I'll hold the tray up and you pull the covers, OK?"

"OK," Bobbie gave her a big smile and uncovered Sookie's legs, then let her put the tray back down so she could keep eating. Bobbie pressed on Sookie's legs a bit and frowned a little. "You've got a bit of swelling here, so we want to address that right away. The last thing you want is blood pooling in your legs – that's how you form blood clots. Even if you don't decide to hire me, I'd like to work on that before I leave tonight. If you catch it early, you can keep it from becoming a problem."

"Oh, OK. What would you need for that?"

"Well, I don't have my table with me, but I do have my oils. I can do your legs right here. Go ahead and finish your dinner and we'll talk some more and when you're done, we'll give you some massage."

"OK, cool. What exactly is "aromatherapy?""

"It's massage that's done with small amounts of certain essential oils – usually oils from flowers or herbs – mixed into a carrier oil – I like peanut oil, unless you're allergic - that are chosen because they have properties that heal or soothe a specific problem. Choosing the right oils is the key, especially where a pregnant woman is concerned. There are some commonly used scents, like jasmine, cypress, cinnamon and cloves, that shouldn't be used in the first trimester. Did the doctor tell you to avoid lemon?"

"Yes, she did."

"OK, good. That's one we would normally use for a human pregnancy, but in your case, we won't use any of the citrus oils at all, because we can't be too careful. We'll stick with soft, soothing scents like sandalwood and rosewood, if you can handle them. We'll have to keep in mind that what works great one day might make you nauseous the next."

"Really?"

"Yes, those pregnancy hormones are volatile and they effect every woman differently. Think of it as an adventure," she laughed.

Sookie liked that. "In my case, some of the problems are eased by the fact that I feed from Eric almost every day."

"Really – tell me about that?"

"Well, my skin is perfect, I don't have any veins bulging or bleeding gums or digestive problems so far – knock wood – It's mostly just my back hurting and my maid says I snore now."

"That probably won't last long. It's normal for your membranes to become sensitive and swollen around this time. The back pain is going to be rough. Dr. Ludwig said your body is changing 2 to 3 times faster than normal. An average pregnancy is hard on the body. Yours is going to be extremely challenging, but that's why I'm here. We can make you a lot more comfortable and help your body relax and keep your muscles warm and loose so they don't fight the changes. Did you say you have a pool?"

"Yes, we do."

"Are you interested in water aerobics at all?"

"Very much," Eric said and Sookie looked at him. "I've read online that it is very effective for pregnant women."

"Great! I can do that with you, too, as well as yoga and Pilates and other, more traditional forms of exercise."

"Like a personal trainer?"

"Yes. I can also teach you Lamaze, infant massage for the baby and even help you out with – is it a "him" or a "her?" "

"Him."

"OK, help you out with him after, if need be."

"Excuse me, Bobbie," Eric had a question, "are you ever available in the evenings?"

"I'm available any time, day or night. I just got into town, so I don't even have an apartment yet and I hope this would be my only job so I can treat Sookie every day."

Sookie's eyes got big at that and she looked at Eric.

"The reason I ask, is that a few nights a week, I need to go into the night club that I own in town, and I hesitate to leave Sookie here alone. All of the servants leave after dinner."

"Sure, I can stay with her. Just tell me when you want me."

"Would you be interested in living in?"

"Sure – do you have room for me?"

"The fourth floor, Eric," Sookie and he were on the same wavelength. "Take her up and show her!"

"We have a gym, a meditation and massage room, a sauna and a guest bedroom and bathroom on the fourth floor. I use the gym to practice with swords, but other than that, the floor is rarely used."

"Really? Would you rent it to me?" Bobbie laughed

"No, but I might pay you to live there if you could be available for Sookie when she needs you. Would you like to see it?"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Come this way." Eric took her up the stairs and turned the light on in the hall.

"This is gorgeous," Bobbie couldn't believe what she was seeing. The entire floor was done in beige and light blue and it was a masseuse's dream. There was even a massage table and a big floor to ceiling flat Asian-design fountain in the meditation room.

"This was the first floor I had done when I moved in. I wanted to have a nice place if I needed to have anyone come to visit, but I never have. I have been known to hire a masseuse to come in and give me a massage, but they rarely want to come back when they find out I'm vampire."

Eric pointed out the various rooms. "This is the sauna, the meditation and massage room, the guest room with a full bath. This is the gym where I work with my swords."

"Yeah, I was told about the swords. I've never been in a Supe war, but I've heard about them. The friend that told me about this job told me what your job as Sheriff entails."

"You are not afraid?"

"No, because you've got a badass reputation, but you're taking good care of Sookie. I was told you can kick ass when you need to, but you value your privacy and your family. He said you'd take your blood bond very seriously."

"Exactly. I do what I have to do, but my attention and loyalties are to my future wife and son. They will always come first for me."

"I'll be honest with you. Your family is making history. When my friend told me what was going on, I put everything I owned in my car and came to Shreveport. Sookie and the baby have some unique needs and you need someone around them who can adapt things to allow for Fae and vampire tendencies. You won't find anybody else that can do what I can do for them – I'm a masseuse, a personal trainer and a doula all in one - and I really want to be here to see your son come into the world. Sookie is a doll and I can tell she's a little overwhelmed. Say the word and I'm on your team with everything I've got."

"Alright, when can you move in?"

"I'm here."

"Done. The salary is $150,000 through the child's first birthday. Half up front and you guarantee you'll stay at least through the delivery. You get the rest at the end. Room and board, all your meals and bonuses included as long as you are available to Sookie and my son, day or night, and if we need to travel you go with us at my expense."

"Fantastic. Let me bring a few things in, then I'll work on her legs. We really do need to get ahead of that. She's not getting a blood clot on my watch."

"Alright, let's take the elevator down and see if the gardener's boys are still here to help you."

They went down to the first floor and came out through the pantry.

"Mr. Northman – did Sookie like her dinner?"

"Yes, Margaret, she loved it. You met Bobbie, I take it?"

"Just briefly at the door." Margaret gave her a big smile and a nod.

"Alright, Are Leroy and Lonnie still here?"

"Leroy is, I think – I thought I saw the light on in the servant's quarters."

"Good. Bobbie is going to be living in on the fourth floor. I'd like him to help her take her things upstairs in the elevator and then show her where the garage is, and after she's going to do some bodywork on Sookie."

"Of course, sir, I'll have it taken care of right away."

"Thank you, and thank you for staying so late this week."

"My pleasure, sir. I like to make sure Miss Sookie is eating properly. Bobbie will you be seeing to her diet at night? "

"Sure, I can do that."

"Alright, when you get your things in the house, I'll explain what she needs tonight and I'll get you completely up to speed tomorrow. Alicia just took some things upstairs for later."

"Great."

Margaret buzzed out to the servant's quarters and told Leroy what she needed. He was in the house as quick as could be, because he was a little afraid of Mr. Northman, and he carried Bobbie's boxes and suitcases in from her blue '98 Chevy Caprice, then drove it around to the servant's garage for her.

As soon as she had everything under roof, Bobbie headed back downstairs. She had lots of time to unpack, but she needed to make a good impression on the boss right now. She had almost fainted when he mentioned the salary. She was going to make more in a year and a half than she'd made in the last 10. Claude was right - this was her dream job.

Sookie was just finishing her dinner when Bobbie came back in the room. Eric had already told Sookie she was hired and would be living in.

"Hey, Bobbie – welcome to the family!"

"Thanks. Are you ready for me to work on those legs?''

"Yep, what do you need me to do?'

"I don't want to mess these nice sheets up, so I'm going to spread one of mine over it then you'll just lie on your bed and I'll put a blend together. I'm going to let you sniff each essential oil before I use it to make sure it won't make you sick." She took a sheet out of the bag and spread it on the bed, then she put the big black bag she had left next to their bed up on the table and started taking big bottles and little bottles and an eyedropper out of it. She took a marker and wrote Sookie's name on a 4 ounce bottle that already had peanut oil in it, then she picked three oils for Sookie to smell. The first was sandalwood, which Sookie loved. The second, rosewood, she didn't mind. She liked the lavender but they were only going to use a drop of it because they didn't want it to smell too "perfume-y." She added drops of the scented oils to the bigger bottle and shook it up, then warmed some between her palms and spread it on Sookie's legs.

Eric was standing in the doorway watching closely in case he ever wanted to help with this. You'd think the girls had known each other forever. He'd have a background check done on Bobbie once he had her social security number, just as a formality, but he was sure Niall would have already vetted her before he recommended her. Eric didn't worry about her spying on them because Sookie would hear it if she had any ill intent. The most important thing was that she was motivated to do a good job and Eric has offered her a very good salary to make sure she'd care very much about keeping it. He figured she might be planning to write a book about the experience or something like that, but all he cared about was seeing that Sookie and the baby had the best of care and he believed she'd be valuable to Sookie in several ways. If the two became good friends, that would be very good for Sookie, too.

"Bobbie, I hope you're not a light sleeper. Sookie and I can be very noisy at night," Eric warned her with a smile as he watched.

"No problem. I can always sleep with my headphones on, but honestly, I sleep like a log so I doubt I'll ever hear it. I know you guys are newly weds, or will be, so don't hesitate to rock the house when you feel like it. I don't have any hang-ups in that area." she laughed. "Is there a specific schedule we need to follow for her care?"

"Sookie is supposed to have her breakfast no later than 2 pm. After, if she's able, she plays in the pool and reads until dinnertime. That afternoon period would probably be the best time for a workout and massage."

"Right."

"It will be nice to have someone to play in the pool with," Sookie laughed.

"You'll need to stay with her on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at least, when I go to the club, and see that we don't forget her nighttime meals."

"OK, I tend to be a night owl, anyway, so if she starts having a lot of pain, or sleep problems, I'll do massages at night, too. Don't hesitate to call me or wake me up if you need me, alright?"

"We won't," Eric assured her. "It will be very busy here next week because our wedding is a week from tomorrow, so I want you to keep after her to relax and to get plenty of rest."

"You'll come to the wedding, won't you, Bobbie?" Sookie asked hopefully

"If you want me to, sure. You might need a little rubdown before you walk down the aisle. Where are you having it?"

"At my Grandmother's house. It's nothing fancy, just lots of pink and white flowers, chairs and a little arch set up in the yard, a local Cajun group, lots of shrimp and crawfish, my friends from the area, some Fae relatives I don't even know and a bunch of vampire royalty."

"Ooh – that sounds interesting!"

"Yeah and it's going to be heavily guarded because the tabloids are sniffing around for information."

"I know – I saw one of the stories at the store in the gas station on the way here."

"You did? What did it say?"

"It was pretty generic – it just said that there was a rumor that the first vampire baby was going to be born in Louisiana, but they didn't know any details. There was commentary from some experts saying it wasn't possible, and from others who swore it was true and that some sort of sorcery had made it possible, one said it was the child of the devil, and there was one lady who said that the vampire father was so old that he became fertile again."

Eric laughed out loud at that and the girls joined him.

"That gets your vote, eh, Daddy?" Sookie teased him

"Yes, it's much more flattering than saying he's a child of magick, though that is very special in itself."

"Just to be clear, I was told that there was some Fae magick involved…?"

"Yes,"

"And that you are part Fae, Sookie?"

"Yes – did they tell you anything else?"

"Just that Eric was really old, though they didn't say exactly how old, and that he'll be the first Sheriff in the Americas to marry. That's really exciting."

"It is?" Sookie didn't appreciate the magnitude of it all yet.

"Oh, yes! Some are saying it might be the first marriage of its kind in the world. Reporters are searching and searching and no one has found a married sheriff or its equivalent anywhere yet. Everyone says there must be one somewhere, but no one has proven that. They say the same thing about the baby, too."

"Yeah, none of our sources knows of another baby like it, either, but again, they say it must have happened at some point."

"If this is too rude, don't answer, but is it true that you're telepathic?"

"Yes, it is, but I try really hard to stay out of people's heads. That seems a lot easier lately, for some reason."

"Maybe your control of it is improving?" Bobbie suggested.

"That's what it feels like."

"OK, and no one would confirm or deny this, but there's Goddess energy around this baby and around you, too, right?"

"Why do you say that?" Eric asked, very interested in how she got that impression.

"I had my cards read before I left Florida and she saw a Divine hand in all this but she said it was specifically female and that didn't make sense to her. It made perfect sense to me because I'm a Goddess worshiper."

Eric was thrilled with this news. He knew he had a good feeling about this woman.

"YOU ARE?" Sookie was really excited about that. "You have to meet my new friend Amelia – she's a Witch."

"Oh, good – I was hoping you were getting some kind of guidance about all of this."

"She's trying to show me the ropes. I've been reading a lot. Have you ever read **When God was a Woman**?"

"Yep, I've got a copy of it in one of the boxes we just took upstairs.

"Meeting Amelia and reading that book was the first time I ever really heard of the Goddess in that context. It's such a cool idea."

"Any idea of which Goddess is involved?"

Sookie looked at Eric, not knowing if she should say.

"Freyja," Eric offered. "I was very devoted to Her at one point in my life, and it appears She has blessed us in some very wonderful ways."

"OK, I'll do some research on Freyja and we'll see if I can find something to enhance your treatments with Her energy. I do know She loves babies."

"Yes, She does," Eric said fondly.

Sookie was really psyched now. "They're going to be busy all weekend, but maybe if I'm up to it, we can drive to Bon Temps one day next week and you can meet her. She's staying with my Gran right now."

"How did you meet her?"

"Eric?"

"I needed some information and asked my Queen for a referral. She happened to be the landlady of one of the Queen's paramours…"

"Who also happens to be my cousin, Hadley. She's going to be a bridesmaid, along with this girl Kim who I worked with for a bit right when Eric and I got together. She was really cool and supportive when other people weren't so I thought it was only fair to put her in the wedding. Eric bought her dress for her so she didn't have to spend money on it. She cried when I asked her."

"So your cousin and the Queen are that tight? You didn't know?"

"I had no idea. I didn't even know she liked girls! Eric took me to a party in New Orleans and she was there. We weren't even sure she was alive so I was shocked to see her there."

"Wow, that's some coincidence."

"It wasn't really, it was more like coming full circle. She told the Queen about me, the Queen sent my neighbor Bill to find me, Bill took me to Fangtasia where I met Eric, and then Eric took me to a party at the Queen's house. If it weren't for Hadley, we'd never have met!"

"And now all of this great stuff is happening for you. That's fantastic. Eric, do you ever do massage on Sookie?"

"Yes, I do."

"OK, let me show you a few spots you should never massage on a pregnant woman." Bobbie showed him spots around the ankles, behind the knees and she showed him the right way to rub her tummy without putting any pressure on it, with instructions to put a special cream on it several times a day to prevent stretch marks.

There was a buzz on the baby monitor Alicia kept on Sookie's nightstand and they heard Alicia say, "excuse me, Mr. Northman?"

"Press the button, Sookie," she did, then "Yes, Alicia?"

"Do you need Margaret, Leroy or me any more tonight?"

"No, Alicia, you can all go home any time now."

"Alright, Mrs. Northman's meals are in the small refrigerator. We'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, everybody. Thanks!" Sookie called into the monitor.

POP

Sookie jumped a bit as Dr. Ludwig appeared in the room.

"Good evening, Dr." Eric nodded to her.

"Northman, Sookie, and I assume you're Miss James?"

"Yes, please call me Bobbie."

"I see you're at work already! That's good. Anything to report?"

"There was a bit of swelling in her legs, so I've been massaging them and I'm planning to do that at least once a day from this point forward to make sure the blood doesn't pool. I also noticed that she seems pale, and I'm wondering if she shouldn't be taking True Blood?"

"I've had two just a couple of hours ago," Sookie said, "the baby insisted."

"The baby insisted?" The doctor's interest was piqued by that.

"Yeah, he was tugging at me until I drank some, didn't he, Eric?"

"There was a distinct sense of wanting, then one of satisfaction after she drank them that didn't come from either of us."

"Really? You are writing these things down, aren't you?"

"Not yet," Sookie said sheepishly.

"Do it before you forget. Bobbie, you keep after her about that. This pregnancy is historic and we need a good account of it. Now, you've been drinking 1 every night, but he's wanting more?" She felt Sookie's glands as she spoke.

"Yes,"

"Let's make it four a day and see how that goes. Let me know immediately if that's not enough. There's a remote chance True Blood won't be enough, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Any cramping yet?" She pressed gently around Sookie's abdomen.

"Not exactly."

"Explain?"

"I have that feeling like I'm going to have cramps, but they just haven't started yet."

"Alright, well, when you start having them, keep a record of what time they occur and how bad they are. I'm afraid they'll be severe since he's growing so quickly. Bobbie, do you have any techniques to help her deal with that?"

"Yes, we can do things with yoga, exercises in water, and massage to manage that."

"Good. Are you living in now?"

"Yes, as of tonight."

"Good, she'll need you around. None of the others on staff here have a clear understanding of Fae or vampires, am I right, Northman?"

"Yes, you are correct."

"It will be good to have a specialist with her just in case. She can't go to a human hospital, there are too many things they use that might be fatal to a Fae child. If anything goes wrong, you have to get in touch with me immediately."

"In case of what?" Sookie didn't like the sound of that. Dr. Ludwig pulled a stethoscope out of her carpetbag and listened to Sookie's heart, then listened to her abdomen in front and her lungs in back.

"Complications are always possible, but we also don't know what abilities this baby might have or when he'll start to use them."

"Abilities?"

"Yes, he might have various Fae or Vampire abilities that require some knowledge of the possibilities."

"Like flying?" Eric asked hopefully

"Yes, but we won't know that until some time after he's born. At this stage what we want to watch for is telepathy…"

"He's got it," Sookie said, "he can read my thoughts."

"Already?"

"Yep. He agrees with me when I think about the Goddess."

The doctor brightened at that. "That's certainly promising!"

"Yes, it is," Eric agreed, already proud of his son. He didn't say it, but he was sure his son knew the Goddess personally on some level.

"What else?"

"He might have telekinesis, or be able to teleport or do magick. I don't think those will show up until he's older since Fae don't develop their full power until puberty, but you want to be aware that anything is possible with this child. There's never been one like him, especially since he already seems to be a part of your blood bond, which we didn't anticipate."

"You didn't? That's not part of the magick?" Sookie didn't realize how special it really was yet, but Eric would explain it to her later.

"Not the magick Niall did. If I had to guess, I'd say it's your own magick combined with drinking Northman's blood."

"My own magick?"

"Yes, my dear, you've got powerful magick you haven't begun to tap into yet. Do you have a teacher yet?"

"Yes, my friend, Amelia, is a Witch and I just found out Bobbie is a Goddess worshiper."

"Excellent. Learn all you can while you're pregnant so you'll be up to speed when you've got an infant on your hands. You won't find much time to read then, even if you do have help. I suspect this little one will demand a lot of attention."

"I've been very nauseous. Is there anything I can take for that?"

"When you're with child, your best bet is a little cola syrup or a prepared cola beverage."

"Yeah, I've been sipping diet cola. It helps if it's really cold."

"Stick with that, or better yet, the regular colas with cane sugar, but you won't have the nausea too much longer. If you have any more questions, call whenever you need to, and if I don't hear from you before hand, I'll see you at the wedding." POP – she was gone.

"Does she always do that?" Sookie asked Eric

"Yes. I told you, Supe elders say what they have to say and they're done. They rarely stick around long enough for questions."

"She's nothing like I pictured her," Bobbie laughed.

"No, but she's very respected and very good at what she does. Sookie could not be in finer care," Eric said with absolute certainty.

"Well, is there anything else I can do to make you more comfortable, Sookie?"

"No, actually, you can go get your stuff unpacked if you want to."

"Alright, I'll be upstairs, so you call me if you need me and I'll be right here."

She picked up her bag and headed upstairs, thanking Goddess all the way for leading her into this amazing job. She and Sookie would have lots to talk about since she was learning about the Goddess and magick and this bedroom was nicer than anyplace she'd lived in several years. She even had a bathroom all to herself.

Bobbie opened some boxes first, looking for a blank journal she could use to keep track of Sookie's treatments. She spent the next hour at a small writing desk in her new room, describing the situation, her impressions of Eric and Sookie, and what she saw as potential problem areas for them to work on. She also did the research she said she'd do on Freyja and was excited about what she saw. She made lots of notes to share with Sookie and was thrilled to find out there was a wireless network in the house when she opened her laptop – well, two, actually, one that was password protected and one that was open – so she was able to access the web without a hard connection.

The last thing she did that night was hang up her clothes in the walk-in closet, then she threw on an over-sized t-shirt and crawled into the queen-sized bed, enjoying the cool, smooth feel of the expensive cotton sheets, noticing they'd been ironed before they were put on the bed. She set the alarm that was on the nightstand, laughing to herself that this room had everything, and slept for a while

Sookie was so relaxed after Bobbie worked on her that Eric lay down next to her and talked softly until she dozed off. When she was asleep, he slipped into his office and pushed himself to get through as much of his financial work, which was piling up just a little because he'd been focused on Sookie, and didn't look up until he heard Bobbie come gently down the stairs at 12:30.

"Bobbie?" He spoke just loudly enough for her to hear him.

"Mr. Northman?"

"Come in – please, call me Eric," he smiled, "can I help you?"

"I just wanted to remind you that Sookie should eat now."

"Would you see to that, please, so I may continue my work?"

"Sure – it's in the fridge in your room, right?"

"Yes, Margaret will have a label on it."

"OK, no problem."

Eric listened briefly as she went into their bedroom and got the food out, then gently roused Sookie to eat. Bobbie sat with her while she ate, chatting with her as if they were old friends, and Eric was especially pleased when she rubbed Sookie's back until she went back to sleep.

When she came out into the hallway and looked in his door, he was making good progress on his paperwork.

"She's asleep," Bobbie told him.

"Good. What time is her next meal?"

"She should have something no later than 4:30."

"Alright, I'll take that feeding and you can see her in the morning."

"Will do. Good night."

Eric continued his paperwork, smiling to himself that he thought this was a very positive development. Sookie didn't have any girlfriends, really, and women like Bobbie and Amelia, who were personable, well-educated and Goddess-oriented, would be a wonderful influence on a new Witch and a young Mother. No one had said it specifically, but he was quite sure Sookie was a natural Witch if not a full-fledged Goddess. There was too much magick in her just bursting to get out.

At 2:49, Sookie called his name, "Eric?"

He was instantly by her side, "How are you feeling, my Lover?"

"Lonely," she pouted at him.

"Well, then, let me finish up one thing, and I'll come join you."

"Goodie!"

He zipped back into his office to finish the email he was sending to Bobby Burnham about having hired Bobbie James, then was back in the bedroom kicking his boots off and locking the door.

"MMMmmm," Sookie purred as he pulled his shirt off and dropped his jeans and shorts. "Do you like those?"

"Those what?" He asked as he slid into bed next to her and kissed her.

"Those grey-green shorts you had on under your jeans?"

"I never really thought about it, I have many different kinds."

"Yeah, you do." She raised her head so he could put his arm under her.

"What kind is your favorite kind?"

"I've only ever seen the kind I like in a catalog," she snuggled up against him and played a bit with the golden hair on his stomach

"What did you like about them?"

"They were really sexy."

"I'm intrigued. What was sexy about them?"

"Mostly the fabric. They were silk boxers."

"Silk boxers? I don't know if I've ever worn a pair."

"Maybe you'd like them?"

"Are you hinting that you'd like me to wear silk boxers?"

"I'm not hinting, I'm saying I'd like you to try a couple of pair and see if you like them because I think they're mad sexy."

"Consider it done," he laughed as he stroked her cheek.

"Thanks."

"Is there anything else you'd change about the way I dress?"

"No, you get the big stuff right."

"Such as?"

"You wear boots all the time, like a real man should."

"What do other men wear that you don't like?"

"Tennis shoes, basketball shoes. I hate that – if a guy doesn't take himself seriously, why should I?"

"Why, Miss Stackhouse, I've never heard you be so judgmental."

"It's from working in a bar so long. Guys were always hitting on me and I never saw a guy yet wearing tennis shoes that I'd give the time of day to."

"I have never owned a pair. I wear steel-reinforced boots when I go out because I never know when I might be in a fight."

"And the boots themselves can be a weapon, right?"

"Right."

"What else do I "get right?""

"Lots of things – silk shirts, expensive suits, tight jeans, form-fitting t-shirts, leather pants and jackets. You dress like a badass, but one with style."

Eric laughed with delight. "Good to know!"

"Yeah, but there's one thing you might want to add to your wardrobe since Bobbie will be living here."

"What's that?"

"Swim trunks. You don't have any and we might have people around when we want to swim. I'm thinking about having a pool party."

"What is a pool party?"

"It's where you invite a bunch of your friends over and you cook food on the grill and swim in the pool and play games and have fun."

"When are you planning this?"

"After the wedding and stuff is all over."

"Whom would you invite?"

"My brother and his friends Hoyt and Catfish, Kim, Sam, Terry Bellefleur, Amelia and Gran, maybe my friend Tara I haven't seen in ages, then some of them might bring dates."

"Would this be day time or night?"

"I thought maybe start it around 5 and then go until maybe 10 o'clock or however late people want to stay. You could invite Pam and people from Fangtasia, too."

"Is this something you've done before?"

"No, I never had a pool or the money to have a real party, or many friends at all."

"Well, then, let's get through the wedding and we will see about a pool party."

"Thanks!" She playfully kissed his face all over.

"Won't you be seeing all of them at the wedding?"

"Most of them, yeah, but I won't get to hang out with them. I'll have to go around and thank everyone for coming and we'll be dancing and I'm going to eat all the crawfish I can hold, and…"

"You say that as if it's a treat."

"What?"

"Eating all the crawfish you can hold."

"It is! I've never been able to afford tons and tons of shrimp and crawfish like we're going to have at the wedding."

Eric laughed again. "Well then you should eat to your heart's content and if you ever want to buy them just for you, get as much as you want whenever you want."

"Mmm, I love how you spoil me."

"Good, because I'm going to do a lot of it."

"You already do!"

"Wait until we are married and we have anniversaries to celebrate and babies to run around the house… "

"And CHRISTMASES! My baby is going to have the BEST Christmases ever!"

Eric laughed again.

"Laugh all you want, but I'm serious. Gran always did the best she could for us, but Christmases at our house were spare for me and my brother. Our living room is going to look like a toy store every year," she laughed.

"I'm looking forward to that more than I ever thought was possible," he confided. "Every aspect of raising and celebrating a child thrills me. I love you so much, Sookie and I'll love our son just as much. I'm going to be a very involved father."

"I know you will, because of how intense you are about taking care of us. Hey, is there anything up here for me to eat?"

"Yes, I'll get it for you." Eric got up and went around the bed to the little fridge.

"Bring a couple of True Bloods, too, please?" Sookie said as she sat up and pulled her pink knit gown off.

Eric found a salad with chicken and a bottle of dressing with a fork, a napkin and a can of soda and a straw and put it on the tray that was sitting on her dresser.

"Now that's what I call service," she teased him as he came back with it all and set it across her lap.

"You know, I hardly ever had a meal in bed in my life and now all of a sudden, it's all I do."

"You've never been pregnant with a very demanding baby before."

"Yeah," she said softly, suddenly becoming quiet.

"Sookie, what just happened?"

"Huh?"

"I just felt a huge shift in the bond. You went from being happy and playful to almost sick with worry."

"Something just popped into my head. I'll forget about it in a minute."

"But then it will pop into your head another time. Whatever it is, Sookie, you should talk to me about it."

"I have a relative that I don't want to come to the wedding, but he's asking to be invited and Gran told him 'no' but I'm afraid he'll show up anyway."

"If he is not invited, he cannot get in."

"Promise?"

"Yes, Sookie. Sweetheart, I can feel how upset you are thinking about this person. I should know about something that affects you so severely."

"Let me eat my salad first and then I'll try to tell you about it."

"Alright." Eric knew she was hoping he would forget about it, but her mood dropped from elated to panicked and gloomy in the blink of an eye. This was obviously not something he could leave unexplored.

"So, who's going to be your best man? Have you decided?" she asked as she dug into her salad.

"I have some ideas, but I don't think you'll like any of them."

"Who is your single favorite choice?"

"Pam."

Sookie laughed out loud at that. "I never thought about that, but she is sort of family and she's closer to you than anyone else in the world except me. Have you asked her yet?"

"No, I thought it best to talk to you first."

"Who are your alternatives?"

"Andre, Bill, or your brother."

"No, no, and he's giving me away, so I say go with Pam. What will she wear?"

"I was wondering if you'd be alright with her wearing the same dress your bride's maids are wearing, and she'd simply stand beside me and hand us our rings?"

"I'd love that. She'll need to order it right away. If she needs alterations and can't get them done, Gran can help with that."

"Give me the information and I'll order it for her. I'll be very surprised if she needs alterations."

"Really?"

"Yes, she wears clothing very well. She's a perfect size 6."

"Have you bought clothing for her before?"

"Yes, I buy her gifts now and then."

"That's nice."

"You are not jealous, are you?"

Sookie hesitated for a minute, then said, "I don't know. I mean, I love Pam and I know you love her, but you actually bought her clothes, but you have other people buy my clothes?"

"Let me clarify - I have had Margaret buy Pam clothes."

"Oh – OK, that's OK, then," she laughed.

Eric figured that was a harmless white lie and made a mental note to pick something out just for Sookie and order it himself.

Sookie finished up her salad and drank two True Bloods down quickly, and Eric cleared away her tray. Setting it back on the dresser, he came back to bed and Sookie snuggled up next to him.

"Let's have wild crazy sex until you have to go to ground."

"Nice try. Tell me what had you so upset."

"I'm over it now, so let's just…"

"Sookie, I want to know what disturbs you so much about this relative of yours. How is he related to you?"

"He's Gran's brother."

"And neither you nor she want him at the wedding?"

"Right, and I'm afraid he'll come anyway."

"Sookie, I know how you and your grandmother are about family. For him to be ostracized in this way, he would have to have physically harmed one of you. What did he do?"

Sookie didn't answer but the bond was churning with emotion – shame, anger, fear.

"Sookie?"

"Turn the light off."

He reached up and turned off the light in the headboard and she clung to him tightly in the dark. Eric waited a few minutes, then he spoke. "Sookie, your uncle molested you?"

She nodded her head against his chest.

"How old were you?"

"It started when I was 5."

"How long did it continue?"

"A few years, until I went to live with Gran and she ran him off."

"What is his name?

"Bartlett Hale. Why?"

"I was just wondering if he was a Stackhouse. "

"No, that's Gran's married name. She was a Hale before she married."

"I promise you, Sweetheart, that man will not be at your wedding."

"Thank you, Eric." Sookie let out a huge yawn then, and Eric began to kiss her very softly, knowing if he was very slow and gentle, she'd fall asleep. When she was breathing evenly, he kissed her forehead and left her for the day.

Eric used the laptop in his cache to look up Bartlett Hale's address, and went to rest fomenting a plan that would ensure that HIS Sookie's "funny uncle" would not attempt to crash her wedding.


	15. Chapter 15

**[A/N: Sorry it took so long – it's just hard to write in the summer. I'm cutting this one short so I can post something because I know it's been a while. Bear with me – it's just a couple of chapters to the wedding. **

**Contains spoilers for the movie _The Craft_.]**

**Part 15 **

**A Force of Nature**

Sookie was walking along a shore at sunrise, alone in the cold. She didn't recognize the long black dress with spaghetti straps that she was wearing, and she realized she was cold because she was barefoot. She had no idea where she was, or how long she'd been walking, but she was exhausted as she came upon a very large, carved oak chair with rose velvet cushions. She wondered what it was doing out here so far from anything, but she sat down in it for a few minutes, curling up in the soft cushions, trying to get warm, trying to remember how she came here. She must have fallen asleep, because when she awoke the tide had come in around the chair and the tail of her dress that hung down from the chair a bit was wet. It was warmer now and the sun was coming up, and she could see thousands of little things floating in the water. She scooped through the water with her left hand and got pink rose petals. She scooped again and was holding 3 pink roses. She scooped a third time and had a long string of beads, red, pink and gold or copper, and heard a woman's voice saying, "remember, 6 and 13."

"Roses!" Sookie sat up just as Bobbie was about to wake her.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" Bobbie was standing there with Sookie's breakfast tray, wearing a blue paisley "Indian" style dress and looking like she was in a great mood.

"Hey. Did you just say something?"

"I was just about to," she said as she settled the tray over Sookie's lap, "were you dreaming about roses?"

"Yeah, it was weird…"

"OK, where are you writing the weird stuff down?"

"Just in a little steno pad. It's probably in that tote bag over there."

Bobbie got her settled with her tray, then went over to the chair on the far side of the side table and picked up the pink tote bag sitting in it, putting it up on the table and finding the steno pad with Sookie's name on it pretty quickly. "OK, here you go. Pretty handwriting!"

"Oh, yeah, Eric wrote my name on it. He has beautiful handwriting, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, a lot of vamps do – it's because they're so old. People used to take penmanship very seriously because so few people knew how to read or write."

"Yeah, what am I doing with this?" Sookie didn't want to seem dumb, but she was half asleep and not thinking clearly yet. She felt as if she left a part of her in the dream.

"I want you to write down everything you remember about that dream. Remember? Roses?

"Oh, yeah…OK," Sookie opened the pad to the next empty page and began to write. "How detailed should this be?"

"As many details as you can remember – where you were, what time it was, what were you wearing, doing, every detail you can remember."

"I remember a woman's voice saying, "Remember, 6 and 13.""

"6/13 as in the date a couple of days ago or 6 hours and 13 minutes between high and low tides?"

"Tides! Yeah, I was in a chair and fell asleep and the tide came in and surrounded me."

"What kind of chair?"

"A huge one like a Queen would sit in and it was made of oak - how I know that I have no idea – but it would seat two people at least and it was beautifully carved with these stick symbols and covered with velvet pillows in almost the same rose color as the chairs in the living room."

"And you sat down in it? Why?"

"I was exhausted and cold and I just wanted to rest and be warm and figure out where I was, but I must have dozed off. Then I was scooping stuff out of the water…"

"What stuff and with which hand?"

"Um – left hand, and the water was full of thousands of pink rose petals and I got a handful of them first; then the second scoop I got three pink roses; then the third scoop I got a long string of beads. Hey – maybe the beads were in groups of 6 and 13?"

"What kind of beads were they?"

"Some kind of actual gemstone – again, no idea how I know that – but some were gorgeous pale pink and some were a pinkish red and there were some gold or copper beads separating them."

"Do rose quartz and garnet sound right?"

"Quartz, yeah, but I don't know about garnet. These were more like… rubies, maybe? Yeah, rubies - Freyja loves rubies – why do I know that? Anyway, they were kind of like rosary beads but instead of a crucifix on the end there was an image of a lady with her arms pointing up."

"The Goddess – those _were_ rosary beads, then."

"Rosary beads? But that's a Catholic thing, right?"

"Prayer beads and similar tools have been used in lots of cultures all over the world. Rosaries are a Pagan thing that was sort of stolen by the Catholics."

"Wait, what am I eating?" Sookie just noticed what was on the tray in front of her and it didn't look familiar.

"Bagels and lox – smoked salmon is a Swedish thing, so Eric apparently asked Margaret to see if you'd eat it for the baby."

"For the baby?"

"Yep. He read somewhere that fish is brain food, which is true."

"How do I do this?"

"Spread some of the cream cheese and/or butter on a bagel, pile up some fish, and some red onion if you like it, then dig in."

"Do I put two halves back together or eat it open face?"

"Whichever you prefer."

"OK, then, sandwich… now, tell me more about rosaries…" she smashed the two bagel halves together and tried to take a bite out of the thick sandwich.

"OK, In Buddhism they call it a Mala, and it has 108 beads. I think the Catholic rosary has 108, too. That's also the number of stitches on a baseball, by the way…"

Sookie laughed, but her mouth was full of fish so she didn't say anything.

"The Hindus use from 32 to 108 beads, and theirs are made from "rudraksha," which are the seeds of a specific tree. In Islam it's called subha, which means "to exalt." They have 99 beads for the 99 names of "god.""

"OK, so where does the Goddess come in?"

"At the very beginning, as always. The first were what we call Witches' Ladders – just knots tied in a string to help you count off your prayers. That's still an easy way to do a spell."

"Cool. Will you teach me?"

"Definitely!" Bobbie nodded enthusiastically as she finished helping Sookie with her breakfast and sat in the side chair.

"OK, it went from knots to beads?"

"Yes, and the root word for beads means to count. The first beads were probably created for counting, then for praying, then only later they were used as jewelry."

"OK, this fish or whatever is AWESOME! I never tasted anything like this. Now, where's the Goddess, again…?"

"OK, well the word Rosary refers to roses which are a symbol of the Goddess. The petals of the rose represent the labia of the Goddess."

"_Labia_ as in "down there?"" Sookie's eyes were wide – she couldn't believe her ears!

"Yep, when you stroke the beads…"

Sookie's swallowed her food and her mouth dropped open, her eyes still huge. "NO WAY!"

"Yes, way. If the Catholics only knew! Especially since Jesus didn't approve of rosaries."

"HUH?"

"He specifically says in **Matthew 6:7** _"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."_"

"That's actually in the bible?"

"Yep – that's a direct quote from the King James version – look it up, if you want."

"I'll take your word for it, but remind me later because I want to write that down in my book, too, but I'm too hungry to stop eating right now," Sookie laughed, covering her mouth because it was full, and Bobbie did, too. "You want some of this?"

"I already ate, Sweetie, but thanks. Margaret stuffed me like a turkey!"

Sookie cracked up at that, knowing it was true. "So people don't know about rosaries being about the Goddess?"

"For the most part, no, but look at who the Catholic rosary focuses on – Mary, not Jesus. And whenever people see visions, it's always of the Mother, not the son."

"Yeah, I noticed that one time. Protestants never see visions of Jesus like they did at Fatima or that other one I can't pronounce."

"Medjugorje?"

"Yeah that's it - I can never remember that word, but I remember seeing the story on one of those _Unexplained Mysteries_ type shows."

"Right, well, when Paganism was driven underground, some people, most notably the Irish people, refused to give up certain Pagan practices, so the church tolerated some of it and eventually wrote new definitions for things. The Goddess Brigid became St. Brigitte, the Mother Goddess became Mary, Mother of god. They even use the traditional titles of the Great Goddess to refer to Mary."

"Like what?"

"Queen of Heaven, Stella Maris or Star of the Sea, which originally referred to Isis. There's a Native American Goddess who actually managed to work Herself into the Church in Mexico."

"Which Goddess is that?"

"The Catholics call Her the Virgin of Guadalupe, but it's really the Goddess Tonantzín. The picture of Herself She left on a peasant's cloak even shows Her as an Indian, not the European version of Mary you see most places."

"What kind of Indian?"

"Aztec, I think. The name Tonantzín just means "Our Lady," which is common for many Goddess names. Freyja means the same thing, just in a different language. All the names of the Goddess really refer to the one Living Goddess, so many of what we think of as names of different Goddesses are really just the local word for Lady or Mother and refer to the Universal Mother."

"Is this information hard to find? Like, if I did a search on the Internet, would I find some of this stuff?"

"Some of it, yeah. Wikipedia is pretty mainstream and it has articles on Freyja and Tonantzìn, for example and they both say that the names mean "Our Lady.""

"OK, this may seem like a weird question, but is there a favorite name of the Goddess? One she prefers over the others?"

"Traditionally, Isis is supposed to be Her favorite name, though that's a Greek translation of the original Egyptian, "Au Set.""

"Does it say that anywhere?"

"I don't know where it was said first, but there's a quote from the only Latin novel to survive about Her preferring that name."

"A Latin novel? Like from Rome?" she asked and Bobbie nodded, "How old is it?"

"Second century or something like that."

"What's it called?"

"The writer called it _Metamorphoses_, but it was later called _The Golden Ass_."

Sookie giggled a bit at that. "What's the quote?"

"It's a long one and I don't have it memorized – want me to look it up?"

"Yeah, my computer is right there. Are you good at shopping on the Internet?"

Bobbie reached for Sookie's computer, which was charging up on the side table, as she answered. "Yeah, I can shop with the best of them," she laughed. "What do you want to buy?"

"Baby stuff."

"Ooh – fun!"

"You'll help me with that, right?"

"Sure, Hon, anything you want."

"Cool. I know it's early, but I want to at least have a crib in the house, just in case. Plus it will make it more real, you know?"

"Your nesting instinct is kicking in," Bobbie laughed. "That's a good sign. We want to nurture that all we can."

"Hey, can you use rose oil in my treatments?"

"I was thinking about that. I think I'll talk to Doctor Ludwig first, because there are some who say that it should be used with caution in the first four months of pregnancy, but Freyja would really dig it, I think, and if you're dreaming of pink rose petals, I think that's a pretty direct sign. OK, I found the quote."

"Cool – read it to me, please?"

"It's from _The Golden Ass_, by Apuleius and they date it around the 2nd Century CE …"

"What's CE?"

"It means Common Era – people use it now instead of AD because that's a religious phrase."

"OK, so what to they use instead of BC?"

"BCE – Before Common Era."

"Good to know," Sookie laughed, "OK, let's hear it,"

"_I am nature, the universal Mother, mistress of all the elements, primordial child of time, sovereign of all things spiritual, queen of the dead, queen of the ocean, queen also of the immortals, the single manifestation of all gods and goddesses that are, my nod governs the shining heights of Heavens, the wholesome sea breezes. Though I am worshipped in many aspects, known by countless names ... some know me as Juno, some as Bellona ... the Egyptians who excel in ancient learning and worship call me by my true name...Queen Isis_."

"Aspects. Amelia told me about aspects of the Goddess – that each one is a part of the greater whole."

"Right."

"She's also trying to get me to wrap my mind around the idea that a thing can be two ways at once, like alive and dead, or positive and negative..."

"**Schrödinger's cat **stuff?"

"Yeah, she talks about quantum physics and stuff and how it relates to the Goddess."

"What do you think about that?"

"I think it's a lot to think about. It's nice to know that there's a real basis for stuff, I guess, but I kind of feel like I'm never going to need it."

"You might be right about that, but if you ever do need it, it will be good to have it in your head."

Sookie laughed, "that's what she said. So do you know anything about interpreting dreams?"

"A little bit. Not enough to make money from it, but I'm pretty good with finding the message anyway."

"So what's the message of my dream?"

"Well, water is usually either emotion, the subconscious or psychic ability and your Goddess, Freyja, is called Shining on the Sea, so we can draw a couple of things from that."

Sookie was loading up another bagel as Bobbie explained. "What things?"

"Well, the tide came in around you while you slept. You woke up just in time. Your magick is flowing whether you're ready for it or not, and you're a little overwhelmed, but not drowning yet."

"That's it?"

"I think you should try to recreate those rosary beads."

"Like, find a set to buy, or make a set?"

"Make a set like the one you saw."

"Can you just make those?"

"Yeah, of course. Haven't you ever been to a bead store?"

"No, what's that?"

"A store where they have all kinds of beads and jewelry findings where you can make your own jewelry."

"There's nothing like that in Bon Temps – I don't know if there'd even be one in Shreveport."

"We can get what we need over the Internet if we have to, but let me do a search." Bobbie put Shreveport, beading and jewelry in the Google search box.

"Do you know how to make jewelry?" Sookie asked

"Yeah, well enough to put a rosary together. Here we go – there's a place on Line Ave. called "String a Bead." Do you know where that is?"

"No, but we could find it. Don't you need certain prayers and stuff to do that?"

"You'll write your own, or find them."

"Find them?"

"Yeah, in a dream or in books, we'll come up with something."

"If you say so."

"It'll be easier than you think. What were you wearing in the dream?"

"Kind of a nice long black dress made out of t-shirt material with spaghetti straps."

"Nice."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a dress like that. I was barefoot, too, does that mean anything?"

"This is going to sound weird, but were you wearing underwear?"

"No, now that you mention it, I wasn't."

"I think that's you being bare before the elements. That's probably as close as your subconscious would let you get to naked in your dream."

Sookie laughed at that, "so I'm a prude in my dreams?"

"Not a prude – maybe just a little shy," Bobbie teased her.

"Hey, have you got your swim suit on under that dress?"

"Yep, I was hoping you'd feel up to doing some water aerobics today."

"Sounds good to me – what time is it?" She looked at Eric's clock, "quarter to one."

"Get your suit on, and let's go do some exercises, then we'll play in the pool a bit, do your massage, and maybe we can head off the nausea today."

"OK, I'm not dressed – will you care if I get out of bed naked?"

"No, Hon, you'll probably be naked around me a lot, so don't even think about it."

"Yeah, it's just us girls, right?"

"Right," Bobbie laughed, "and Goddess worshipers aren't really hung up on nudity, anyway."

Sookie laughed, "Yeah, really!" and got into the hot pink suit that was currently her favorite and grabbed Eric's white shirt and her pink tote and they quickly headed for the pool. Bobbie carried Sookie's tray back as they went down in the elevator.

"Hey, Margaret!" Sookie said as she entered the kitchen, "that breakfast was fantastic!"

"I'm glad you liked it, dear. Would you like to have it again some time?"

"Yes, please!" Sookie laughed as she bounced on out the back with Bobbie in tow.

Bobbie took Sookie through some easy stretches to give her breakfast time to settle, then had her do about 15 minutes of hard work in the water to get her heart pumping. They worked a total of almost an hour, then they each took an air mattress –Sookie a pink one and Bobbie a green one – and they floated and chatted about baby, the nursery and wedding things for about an hour until Sookie felt a little nauseous. She was afraid she'd lose her breakfast in the pool so they got out and Bobbie got her oils as Leroy brought the massage table downstairs for her. Bobbie spread a sheet over the table and wrapped one around Sookie so she could wiggle out of her suit without anyone seeing her. Sookie laughed at herself as she lay naked on the table except for the sheets, wondering what Gran would say if she saw her outside like this.

The massage was very soothing and Sookie fell asleep about 10 minutes into it. Bobbie worked slowly and deeply to get Sookie's body to begin to release some of the tension she probably wasn't even aware of. As bright as Sookie's personality seemed, Bobbie could tell from the rigidity of her shoulder muscles and the resistance in her back that she was under more pressure than she was showing. Their chat in the pool revealed how quickly all of this had happened to Sookie and Bobbie knew she was trying very hard to be grateful and positive, but anyone would be having problems adjusting to such extreme changes, and these changes were all the more extreme because both Fae and vampires were involved. 'What must it be like,' she thought, 'to know you're having a baby that's not like anyone else on Earth?'

"It's crazy," Sookie laughed.

Bobbie cracked up, "I didn't know you were awake."

"That thought was really loud," Sookie laughed. "I just keep telling myself he's a magickal baby and the Goddess made him possible so he's got to be wonderful, plus Eric says he'll be magnificent."

Bobbie laughed. "Wishful thinking?"

"No, he says he saw him, when he knew it was really his baby. He says he's tall and looks like him and he's going to be "magnificent.""

"Does Eric have any powers of any kind?"

"He can fly…"

"He CAN?"

"Yeah, really fast when he wants to. Is that what you meant?"

"Is he psychic at all?"

"I don't know if I'd call it psychic, exactly, but he's got strong intuition. He's really good at picking the right people for the right job. Of course, with our Blood Bond, he knows how I'm feeling all the time, so I can't hide anything from him."

"He can't hide anything from you, either, though, can he?"

"Sometimes I think he can – like he can project a feeling that hides another feeling underneath."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like one night, I'm pretty sure he was in a fight or something like that, but he was projecting happy and satisfied feelings because he liked what he was doing. There had to be some anger or violence there, but the main thing I got where I was, was satisfaction."

"He wasn't really able to hide it, then, he just projected something you didn't expect. He probably enjoys kicking ass."

Sookie laughed, "yeah, I'm pretty sure he does. He likes being Sheriff and he likes everyone calling him Master."

"They do?"

"At his club, absolutely. They call me 'Mistress,' too, which I'll never get used to." Bobbie cracked up at that. "Wow – what a turn on!"

"It's a turn on when they call him that, but I feel a little stupid when they say it to me."

"They aren't rude to you, are they?"

"They wouldn't dare! I know that, for sure – Eric would never tolerate anyone being disrespectful to me. I hear what some of the fang bangers think about me though, but I know they're just jealous. I also know the reason is because he won't touch them or let them touch him anymore."

"Being able to hear their thoughts is a real advantage."

"I always hated being telepathic until I met Eric. He's trying to get me to see it as a gift instead of a disability."

"A disability?"

"Yeah, that's how I always thought of it. It isolated me from people and it made it impossible for me to function in school. Most people thought I was crazy and were afraid of me. That's why I like vamps so much – I can't hear them so I can be normal with them."

"Sookie, that makes me so sad. There weren't any relatives that could teach you about it?"

"No, I was the only one I knew who could do it. I only just met my Fae great grandfather about a month and a half ago. I still haven't really met another telepath, but I assume some Fae are telepathic, right?"

"I guess. Did you say some of them are coming to your wedding?"

"Yeah, even though I don't know them."

"Are you excited to meet them?"

"I'm nervous about it. I don't know anything about them. What if they don't like me?"

"Sookie, there's nothing about you to dislike. Relax and look forward to it."

"Hey, Bobbie, my stomach is getting weird. I think I'd better go in now."

"OK, Sweetie – go ahead and take the sheet with you and I'll come find you after I put this stuff away."

"Thanks!" Sookie wrapped the sheet around herself tightly and went into the kitchen in a bit of a hurry. "Hey, Margaret, Alicia, I'm going upstairs for a while. Can I get a really cold can of pop?"

"I'll be right up with it, dear," Alicia assured her, noticing it was later today than it usually hit, so this was progress.

"Thanks!" Sookie called back from the hall in the pantry where she was calling the elevator, which was on the second floor because one of Margaret's helpers was working up there. Sookie prayed the whole way up that she not throw up in Eric's elevator, or on his carpet in the hallway, or in the bedroom, or in the bed. She went into the bathroom and stood by the commode a few minutes waiting to see if she was going to get sick. She was definitely nauseous, but decided she felt no "quickening," so she used the sheet she was wrapped in to wipe some remaining oil off of her back and arms and stepped into the shower just to quickly wash off and wash her hair. She combed out her hair and wrapped one of Eric's big, super soft Ralph Lauren towels around her and went back to her bed, taking the wastebasket and her computer with her. She sipped the cold drink that was waiting for her on her nightstand and ran the options for her next move through her mind, but nothing exciting emerged. Ugh – she hated being sick.

As had become her routine, she used the remote from Eric's nightstand to raise the TV out of the chest at the end of the bed, and looked at the stack of movies on her nightstand. She figured she'd try _**Persuasion**_again, since she slept through it when she tried to watch it with Eric and every time since. She probably wouldn't see it this time, either, since she and Bobbie would be talking, but it was something to have on in the background. As she remembered, it wasn't bad and most of it was quiet. Quiet was good when she felt sick, because she was easily over-stimulated. She suddenly had an idea and buzzed the baby monitor Alicia used to keep in touch with her when she was ill. "Hey, Alicia?'

"Yes, Dear?"

"Is there a fan in the house anywhere?"

"Yes, there are several small ones and one or two large ones. Do you want one in your room?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll bring it right up."

"Thanks!"

"Hey, Sweetie," Bobbie came into the room.

"Hey, Bobbie. Do you like Jane Austen stories?"

"Sure – is that what you've got on here?" She looked around at the screen from Eric's side of the bed.

"Yep – it's _Persuasion_. Have you seen it?"

"No, and I don't think I've read that one either."

"Sit down," Sookie patted the bed next to her, "What's your favorite."

"I'm a huge fan of the Colin Firth version of _**Pride & Prejudice**_."

"The one they've been advertising?"

"No, an older one. It's a long one, but it's great."

"I wonder if we have it downstairs?"

"Have you got movies downstairs somewhere?"'

"Yeah, Eric has a big cabinet full of them, but I don't know what all is in there. If you ever want to look at them, they're in alphabetical order."

"Where is it?"

"In the den, back to the left of the big TV."

"You want me to go see if you have it?"

"Yeah, and see if there's anything you like in there. You'll be baby sitting me tonight, so you might as well bring some we can watch."

"How about something Witchy?"

"I don't know if there is anything like that, but if you can find something, sure."

"OK, I'll be right back. You need me to bring anything else back?"

"Ask Margaret if there's anything crunchy to snack on?" Sookie said apologetically.

"Will do. Hang on."

Bobbie went to the elevator and took it down to the kitchen.

"Hi, Margaret."

"Hello, Bobbie. Can I get you anything?"

"Sookie asked if you had anything crunchy to snack on?"

"I'll put together a tray of crudités for you two."

"That sounds nice. I'm in search of movies…"

"Look in that cabinet straight on through here and to the left of the TV."

"OK, thanks." Bobbie bopped on through the den and found the cabinet with what she figured was about 400 movies in it. She pulled out the _**Pride and Prejudice**_ set she had told Sookie about, plus _**Bell, Book & Candle**_, _**Practical Magic**_ and _**The Craft**_. She stacked them up on the opaque lid of a big blue plastic container that held carrots, celery, cucumber spears, red, yellow, green and orange bell pepper slices, grape tomatoes, snow pea pods, and a big cup of ranch dressing. She got back to the room just as Alicia was plugging in a nice white oscillating fan on a stand that was set up down by the TV so it would cover the bed. "Wow, that's nice."

"You won't mind, will you, Bobbie? I think it might help my nausea," Sookie said as she leaned back on the wedge pillow, still wearing a towel.

"Don't worry about me, Sookie, you do what makes you comfortable."

"What did you bring me to eat?" Sookie said playfully as Bobbie sat next to her. Bobbie let her take the movies off the plastic container and pulled off the lid. "Ooh, yummy! I think I can eat this stuff even on a queasy stomach."

"Just go slowly and relax and maybe you won't get sick today." Alicia said hopefully. "Is there anything else you need? Did you want to put a gown on?"

"Yeah, I should. Something soft and small, please?"

Alicia pulled a light blue knit gown with spaghetti straps out of a drawer and tossed it to her. "Here you go – I'll be helping Margaret with dinner if you need me."

"Thanks, Alicia." Sookie held the gown up and looked at it for a minute. "You know, Bobbie, if this were longer and black, it would be just like the dress I wore in the dream."

"Where'd you get that one?"

"Alicia bought it for me."

"Ask her if it comes in different colors and lengths."

"Good idea, because that dress was simple and really sexy. I know Eric would like it."

"It would make a good ritual dress."

"You have to wear special things for rituals?"

"You don't have to, but a lot of people like to have a certain gown or robe to wear to help set the scene. It's just one more way to make a dedicated space, you know?"

"No, I don't know. I've never seen a ritual or tried one."

"I need to meet Amelia and see if she has specific plans for you. I don't want to interfere with her teaching you, but later, we'll watch _**The Craft**_ – it's really hokey in parts and the end is stupid, but there's a pretty nice ritual they do early on so you can see how they Call the Quarters."

"That's like North, East, South and West?"

"Yeah, or East, South, West and North."

"How do you decide which one to use?"

"Which one makes sense to you?"

"Which one makes sense to you?" Sookie asked with a laugh

"I like starting in the East and following the sun."

"That makes sense."

"Sookie, have you had any other dreams that you haven't written down?"

"Probably, but nothing that stands out in my mind."

"OK, from this point forward, we want to really pay attention to that. Things seem to be coming at you from all directions."

"Amelia said there's like a whirlpool of energy that's pulling the things that I need to me."

"That's a good way to describe it."

"Let's go see them tomorrow."

"I thought they were busy this weekend?"

"They're making favors and centerpieces for the wedding. We could help, or just chat while they work."

"OK, well, if you get up feeling good tomorrow, we can drive over there. Do you have a car?"

"Have I ever – Eric bought me this crazy BMW that's all bullet-proof. I've known him like 7 weeks and it's the second car he's bought for me."

"Holy smoke!"

"Yeah, the first one was because my old one broke down, but then when he found out I was pregnant, suddenly that car wasn't good enough for his son."

"That is one involved daddy," Bobbie laughed with admiration.

"Yeah, to be fair though, the other car is a two-seater so there was no back seat for the baby seat."

"Well, that's understandable, then. It's not safe to have a baby in the front of a car."

"Yeah, and he's all about safety for me and the baby. I asked him if he was afraid of anyone in particular, but he always blows me off by saying that any sheriff is bound to have enemies."

"That's the truth, though, Sookie. The position itself means someone might try to use you to get to him."

"Yeah, I try not to think about that. All that political stuff is scary and boring all at the same time. Do you know anything about the vampire power structure?"

"Mostly that they have regional sheriffs within each territory, then each territory has a king or a queen. Have you met yours?"

"Yeah, her name is Sophie Ann and she's really beautiful. She's got a thing for Eric, I think, and her … what's that word they use? Not boyfriend or husband, but…?"

"Consort?"

"Yeah, consort. He hates Eric, big time. He's the scariest person I've ever met, Bobbie. I dread even seeing him at the wedding. I don't like the idea of him knowing where Gran lives. I never thought of that when I picked the place for the wedding, but I'm thinking of it a lot these past few days."

"If somebody wants to find you, Hon, there's always a way, so just live your life and pray for the best. Is the scary consort definitely going to be there?"

"Well, the Queen RSVP'd for, like, twenty people, so I assume he's one of them."

"That would make sense – unless they need to leave someone home to mind the store."

"That would rock, if she'd just come with my cousin and her entourage minus creepy André."

"Yes, it would," Eric smiled at her from the doorway.

"Eric!" Sookie motioned for her hug, and Eric said, "sit still, Bobbie," going around the bed, TV and fan to hug Sookie.

"How is my beautiful bonded tonight?" He asked as he sat next to her on the bed and hugged her tightly.

"Not bad, actually. I had some nausea and came in, but I haven't actually thrown up."

"That's progress. You look tan and seem rested."

"We played in the pool and worked out and Bobbie gave me the best massage!"

"She even fell asleep on the table for a bit," Bobbie reported.

"Good. The doctor says sleep is her number one priority. I see you girls have a stack of movies for tonight?"

"Yeah, Bobbie says one of them has a good ritual in it."

"Really?" Eric asked her.

"Yeah, the movie is cheesy, but they do a pretty good ritual at the beginning that will give her an idea of what to do."

"Excellent. Any baby news?"

"She had a pretty important dream this morning."

"Did you write it down, Sookie?"

"Yeah, it's in the steno pad over there." She pointed at the table and Eric moved from the side of the bed to the side chair and opened the tablet to read Sookie's notes. He read through it very thoroughly, then asked "Sookie, what did the carvings look like?" Eric asked her

"Everything was pointy and some looked like F's and P's and B's and tall, skinny M's and arrows and fish…"

Eric pulled the pen from the spiral at the top of the note pad and turned to a clean page, then he drew a few characters and showed them to Sookie. "Like this?"

"YEAH! Exactly like that. You know it?"

"Yes, those are Norse runes. Altogether they are called the Elder Futhark. It's a language even older than I am."

"Wow."

"Indeed. The next time you see them, try to remember them exactly so we can see what they say."

"It was just a dream, Eric, I doubt I'll see them again."

"I don't doubt that you will, Sookie. I believe you were seated in Freyja's throne, but I won't be sure until I see the inscription. If it's the throne I know, I know you will see it again."

"You seem so sure…" Sookie didn't see how he could know whether she'd see them again.

"Trust me," he smiled and kissed her lips, then put the steno pad back on the table and started to the bathroom.

"Hey, plug in my laptop before you go, please?"

Eric laughed, "research?"

"Shopping. I need baby stuff. Bobbie's going to help me shop for the nursery."

"Did the boys clear the room out?"

"Yes, but it needs to be painted."

"Have Alicia make arrangements with my day man."

"I should do a little research about paint first," Bobbie said, "some aren't safe for pregnant moms or babies."

"Alright, when you know what you need, let Alicia know," Eric smiled, glad to know that Bobbie was aware of things like that he might not think of. He went to his chest of drawers and took out a Fangtasia t-shirt and a pair of jeans as they talked.

"Thanks, Sweetie," Sookie smiled, thinking about how much fun it would be to put the nursery together. "I'll feel better when we get a crib in the house."

"A crib?" Eric was surprised she was concerned about such a thing.

"Yeah, for the baby to sleep in."

"The baby will sleep with us for the first years of his life, Sookie," Eric told her. "You have plenty of time to furnish his room. I want to do what they call a "family bed" the way we did in my human life. I'm convinced a baby should be with his mother as much as possible."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Sookie asked, "I always heard the baby could be suffocated that way."

"Bobbie?" Eric asked for backup.

"It's controversial, but there are work-arounds and special equipment to make it safer. If you're willing to have him in the bedroom with you, I'm all for it. I think it's better for the baby to keep him close at least for a few months. It makes them much more secure if they're picked up quickly when they need you."

"Exactly." That was exactly what Eric wanted to hear. "That's not a problem, is it, Sookie?"

"No, I just assumed you'd want our privacy."

"That's a modern concept, Sookie. Where I am from, large families slept in one open lodge. No one had a private room as they do in these times."

Sookie just looked at him, not wanting to mention their wild sex life in front of Bobbie just yet.

Bobbie looked at Eric and nodded, letting him know she'd explain to Sookie that this was a Supe baby and would have different needs and attitudes than she might expect.

Eric decided to leave it to her and see how that worked out, since he really did need to get going. "Enjoy your movies, ladies, I should get ready to go. Pam left a message that she has a lot for me to do." He closed the bathroom door and set about showering for the night.

"Sookie, are you worried about having sex with the baby in the room?" Bobbie tackled the subject head on.

"Yeah, I mean…"

"Is it because you'd feel inhibited or because you're afraid it will warp him?"

"Mostly the warping part. We get pretty loud…"

"Sookie, you have to remember that this is not a human baby. He's a supe. He'll never have the kind of hang-ups about nudity and sex that most humans have."

Sookie laid her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Bobbie let her run it through her mind for a few minutes before she spoke. "Sookie are you upset?"

"No, I just haven't really wrapped my mind around him not being human. Like, humans in Eric's time didn't have hang-ups we have now, but things are better now, right?"

"You're talking about cultural differences, hon. Different times, different people have different values. What one culture thinks is normal, another might be horrified with."

"Knock, knock?" Alicia called from the hallway.

"Come in, Alicia," Sookie responded.

"I know you've got snacks, but I thought you might want to try a little dinner now, Dear?"

"Yeah, we both need dinner…"

"Alright, I've got one of your favorites here – shrimp etouffeé."

"Ooh, yummy!"

"I thought that might overcome your discomfort," Alicia laughed as she served Sookie and Bobbie to big bowls full of rice and slightly spicy shrimp and sauce.

"Thanks, so much, Alicia,"

"Yeah, thanks," Bobbie chimed in, happy to be included.

"Alright, I'll be back in a little bit with your meals for tonight, then Margaret and I will be going home if you don't need anything else tonight?"

"No, food should be it. Thanks so much, and tell Margaret thanks, too, OK?"

"Alright, Dear. I'll be back in a few minutes." Alicia went back to the elevator and Sookie went back to where they were interrupted and they chatted while they ate.

"So what culture am I raising him in? Mine, right?"

"Not exactly. Not the one you were raised in. You were raised as a human, and probably learned limitations that really don't apply to you. Also, modern American culture is heavily influenced by Puritanism, so it's a lot more uptight than is really healthy. Plus, Eric is a Supe and you're both Pagans."

"We are?"

"Goddess worship is the definition of Pagan, Hon. A baby with his connection to Freyja shouldn't be constrained by Christian hang-ups about sex and nudity. Freyja is all about fucking."

Sookie cracked up. "I can't believe you said that!"

"Just stating the facts, ma'am. By the time the baby is old enough to know what's going on, he'll be in his own room, but at the beginning, he'll be oblivious to everything except whether he gets fed when he's hungry."

"On those Nanny shows, though, they always say the babies shouldn't sleep with the parents."

"Uptight English Nannies, Sookie. They'd have no concept of raising a baby who drinks blood and can fly."

"Nobody does, now that you mention it. We'll be making it up as we go along," Sookie laughed, but that was scary, too.

"So err on the side of keeping him close. A secure baby is a strong baby."

"OK, you said there's equipment of some kind?"

"Yeah, there are special little cribs that attach to the side of your bed so he's right there, but you can't roll over on him."

"Oh, that sounds cool. As long as I know he can't get hurt, that's the main thing."

"OK, so let's get on the computer and find one," Bobbie laughed and sat their empty bowls on the dresser.

They had just settled into the Pottery Barn website when Eric came out of the bathroom fully dressed, his hair still wet, and he bent to kiss Sookie goodbye.

"Oh, you smell so good! I wish you didn't have to go!"

"So do I, Sweetheart, but I have many things to do. You girls will have fun and I will come home as early as possible and you can show me pictures of what you bought." He kissed her forehead, "have fun, ladies," and he was out the door very quickly because he had things to do that had nothing to do with Fangtasia, and the earlier, the better.

Sookie managed to find a crib, changing table and co-sleeper she liked, and was considering what kind of lighting she wanted in the room when she fell asleep. She had already given Bobbie the information to complete the order, so she put the order through and then opened another browser window and did research on paint for the baby's room. She wrote down the phone number of the company and the specific item number of the paint they needed so Alicia could call them for color chips. Sookie knew she wanted a robin's egg blue color, so this way they could send her a range to choose from and they'd get things going. She also had an idea that she should take Sookie toy shopping and she confirmed that there was a Target in town, so she'd suggest that for one day this week. She knew Sookie would love having some tangible signs of the baby to play with – some soft toys to cuddle and some little clothes. She planned to take her several times as time went on, not only out of necessity but to keep her from getting stir crazy.

It would be easy for Sookie to become isolated in this big house, but between shopping trips and trips to Grandma's, Bobbie figured they could keep that from happening but still keep Sookie safe because they'd make sure someone was always with her. Bobbie was a lot more aware of the dangers to Sookie, both health-wise and Supe-wise, than Sookie was and she knew Eric wanted to keep her home as much as he could. Hopefully an escort for her outings would put his mind more at ease. After Alicia stowed the meals for later in the mini-fridge, Bobbie ran up to her room for her journal and she sat at the side table and made notes for a bit until Sookie woke up at 10 wanting to watch a movie. Bobbie loaded up the DVD of **The Craft **and they munched on vegetables as they watched.

Eric drove to Fangtasia quickly because his first task for the night was best done as early as possible. He checked in with Pam then took to the sky, and managed to touch down in front of 457 Maple Drive, in a subdivision of Monroe, just about 7:15, pleasantly surprised that the house was relatively invisible to its neighbors down the road. Eric smoothed his hair, straightened his clothing, and knocked on the door.

The old man took a few minutes to get there, and opened the door with the chain on because he didn't recognize this tall man on his front step.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, sir, if you are Bartlett Hale?"

"Yes, I am."

"I am Eric Northman, Sookie's fiancé. I wanted to talk to you about the wedding next weekend?"

"Oh, yes, please come in." He removed the chain and let Eric step in the door. "I was hoping you might reconsider allowing me to attend. I was always very fond of little Sookie and I'd love to see her again."

"Yes, I'm sure you would," Eric said as he extended his fangs and struck like lightning. The old man never knew what hit him. Staging an electrical fire was easier than Eric expected because Hale had an electric blanket on his bed. Eric put him in the bed in his t-shirt and shorts, frayed the wiring and started the spark. Once the blaze had covered the bed and the body sufficiently to hide the cause of death, he slipped out of the back door and waited in a tree until the house was nearly consumed. There was still no sign of fire engines when he left. Eric flew back to Fangtasia and made a round through the bar, scaring a few tourists, then going back to his office where his work really was piling up a bit.

Sookie and Bobbie were chatting about the movie as it played. Before the opening credits, 3 girls were shown chanting "Now is the time, This is the hour, Ours is the magick, Ours is the power."

"Is that a real spell?" Sookie asked

"Yeah, it could be. Any words that hold meaning for you can be used."

"Why do they say it over and over – is that like the rosary thing we were talking about?"

"Yes, chanting like that is used to focus your mind and build energy so you can send it off to work your spell."

"So, that girl's mother died?"

"Yes, before she was able to teach her to use her power."

"I know that feeling. She's going to Catholic school?"

"One of the first Witches I ever met went to Catholic school," Bobbie laughed, "though, technically, she was a warlock, not a Witch."

"I thought a warlock was a boy Witch?"

"Nope, that's from watching too much _**Bewitched**_," Bobbie laughed. "Warlock means truce-breaker – someone who forswears an oath. These days it usually means someone who doesn't follow the Wiccan Rede."

"What's that?"

"It's the only real rule Witches follow – "_**An' it harm none, Do as thou wilt**_."

"That's pretty broad – is that like their 10 Commandments or something?"

"Basically. There are groups that have written sets of values or concepts that some choose to follow, but the only real rule is don't hurt anyone, yourself included. That's harder than you might think."

"OK, they're waiting for a fourth – does it take four people to do a ritual?"

"No, the way they want to do a ritual is to have one person call each direction. One person can easily call them all herself. That's probably what you'll do first."

"OK, so, obviously, the girl is able to make the pencil stand up because she has powers. Have you ever known anyone who could do that?"

"No – have you ever tried?"

"Why would I?"

"Try it."

"Maybe later," Sookie laughed. "I don't like this guy that's hitting on her. He's creepy."

"You have no idea…"

"How accurate is this movie?"

"Not very, but there was a real Witch who consulted in making it, so the rituals are good. They refused to include Goddess, though, which is both typical and ridiculous, and she picked a non-existent deity so teenagers wouldn't be calling down a real force of Nature, though the name matters much less than the intent. If you decide the ultimate power in the Universe is called Donald Duck and you invoke it that way, you'll get an answer."

"But the ultimate power is Goddess, right?"

"Right. That's important because the female contains the male. Every human begins as female, and less than half eventually become male. It takes several things to make that happen."

"So there's no such deity as Manon?"

"No – the name is made up."

"Ew – she's out with that creepy guy."

"Yeah, bad idea, but he's a major part of the plot."

""We are the wierdos?"" Sookie repeated a line from the movie.

"A lot of people loved that line. A lot of Pagans are outsiders."

"Why are they holding knives to each other?"

"That's one way to do the traditional challenge. Letting a person into a coven meant giving them the power of life and death over the members – they had to seriously want in and you had to really trust them before you got to that part. Now this ritual they do here, where they pledge themselves to each other – a lot of Wiccans would be really offended by the idea that they put drops of blood in the wine. Most go out of their way to emphasize that there's no blood sacrifice in the Craft, or at least they did before the vampires came out."

"Why?"

"They didn't want to be connected with Satanic practices, which are all bullshit, but get a lot of publicity. Wiccans go out of their way to seem harmless most of the time."

"Aren't they?"

"Yes, but not in the way you might think. It's not that they're not powerful – it's that they learn not to send energy out randomly and they practice ethically."

"Oh, yeah – Amelia said people send chaotic energy out all the time…"

"Right, because they haven't been taught not to. What you send out comes back, so Witches are careful to only send out good energy."

"So these girls are violating the rule, right? Making that girls hair fall out and that guy fall in love with her…"

"Yes, and it's going to backfire on them."

"Hey, are they doing glamour like the vampires do?"

"It's a little different. When a Witch does glamour, it's usually to avoid being noticed or to influence, so it has to do with appearance or the way others perceive them. When a vampire does it, it can actually make a person forget or think differently. It's a kind of direct control."

"That doesn't work on me, you know?"

"No, I didn't know, but that's great. You're not so easy to control."

"Yeah, I'm really glad because it gives me a little edge with Eric that another girl might not have. I think it's one of the things that made me stand out to him."

"Cool. OK, now this ritual here is heavily Gardnerian, meaning it is influenced by the work of Gerald Gardner's group, which was heavily influenced by patriarchal groups like the Golden Dawn. Not everyone invokes "the watchtowers" of the directions. Most people just invite the elements in a much less formal way."

"What's the Golden Dawn?"

"One of several groups of magicians who were popular in England in the late 19th and Early 20th centuries. They were based on the Kabbalah, mostly, so they really shouldn't have anything to do with Wicce. When you hear people talk about Wicca only being 60 years old, they're talking about Gardner's work. Real Wicce is ancient, but it wasn't necessarily always called Wicce."

Sookie nodded and asked about the movie. "Now they're all out of control, so it's starting to come back, right?"

"Right. The story gets pretty stupid from this point forward. There were apparently some other really good scenes that were filmed, but they weren't put in the movie because they went the more sensational, profit-making route."

"Are there any realistic movies about Witches?"

"Not really. **Practical Magic** is the closest. I've got it here too."

"We'll watch that some other time, OK?"

"Sure, whatever you want."

"Cool, because I feel Eric coming home. He'll be here in about 10 minutes."

"You can actually feel that?"

"Yep, and I know he worked hard tonight, too, but he's happy about how it turned out, whatever he was doing."

"That must be amazing."

"It is. I'm finally starting to get a handle on it. When we first bonded, it was almost too intense to stand. It was like waves crashing down on me and I couldn't find my way out."

"You wouldn't want out, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't, but when it's that strong and big and you aren't used to it, it takes a while to get grounded. He helped with that as much as he could, of course, but when you bond with someone so old and powerful, anybody would have trouble handling it."

"Are there ever people who can't?"

"Yeah, Eric said some humans have a kind of nervous breakdown. There's a certain amount of danger to it, but the rewards are amazing. I've never felt so loved in my life."

"Had he ever bonded before?"

"Yes, but he says it ended badly. I think she's the one that died of black plague, but I don't question him about it too much. As he always says, we have a long life together so we're putting all of our energy into having a healthy baby right now. I figure he'll fill me in as time goes on."

"Why don't you eat that little salad in the fridge while you wait for him?"

"Good idea."

Bobbie got up and brought the salad to her, which had chopped roast beef in it and some kind of dressing on the side that neither of them could identify, but Sookie loved it. As predicted, Eric came up the steps as Sookie was finishing her salad.

"Hey, Sweetie!" Sookie was reaching for a hug as he came through the door and Bobbie was already up and out of the way. Eric hugged Sookie and kissed her.

"Bobbie, thank you so much for staying with Sookie," he smiled, "I'll take it from here."

"OK, cool – I'll be in my room if you need me. Have a good night!" Bobbie grabbed her journal from the side table and left them with a smile. She had more to write and planned to relax with a pitcher of sweet tea and a bag of cookies she had in her room.

"I have been thinking about your dream, Sookie," Eric brushed her hair away from her face and looked at her with love in his eyes.

"You think you've actually seen that big chair, don't you?"

"Yes, I think I probably have."

"What was it doing on the shore? Where was I?"

"I'm not sure about that, unless it was the shore of the North Sea, or someplace in Folkvangr that I don't remember. Did Bobbie have any ideas about it?"

"She said it's my magick flowing whether I'm ready for it or not."

"That seems obvious," Eric laughed.

"Yeah, and she thinks we should try to make those beads I saw. She says it's a Goddess rosary."

"Well, that's not a Viking tradition, but Goddess imagery and practices are not limited to one culture or time. You might find it very comforting to have something tangible to focus on, just as having things for the baby make that more real for you."

"I never thought of that. It would be like having something straight from Freyja."

"Are you going to try it?"

"Yeah, I am. There's no reason not to, really, and it was a really nice string of beads. I could wear it to remind me of the Goddess, even if I don't pray with it."

"When are you planning to do this?" Eric stood up and pulled off his jacket, shirt and then pants as they talked.

"I don't know – some time this week I guess. We might drive over to Gran's tomorrow."

"I thought they would be busy?"

"I just feel like going, if I'm up to it. I want Bobbie to meet Amelia."

"I can see that, I suppose," he smiled as he slid under the covers and helped her move under, too. Once she was tucked in next to him, he used the remote to pack the TV away, laid the remote on his nightstand, then took her in his arms and nuzzled her neck. She giggled as he teased her and tickled her, but they suddenly stopped in surprise.

"Eric, did you feel that?"

"Yes, I did. He's very happy."


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16 A Rose in Bloom**

"See – it's not my imagination! He reacts to what we're feeling."

"You are right, Sookie, that is a distinct feeling separate from either of us."

"What do you do when a baby is tapped into a blood bond?"

Eric spoke as he was kissing her neck and shoulders. "There may never have been a baby in a blood bond, Sookie."

"He's telepathic, too, at least where I'm concerned. He's always going to know what we're feeling or thinking. How do we have sex when he's that aware?"

"What do you mean?" He looked at her with surprise.

"We can't do it if he knows what we're doing…"

He tried not to laugh. "Of course we can. Children know what their parents are doing at night. I told you, in my lifetime, people slept in one lodge…"

"Yeah, Bobbie said it won't warp him, but I don't know if I can do it if I know…"

"Don't think about it, Sookie," he nuzzled her neck again, trying to distract her, "just relax and do what comes naturally. It's good for him to know his parents are in love." He slipped his fingers between her legs and her eyes rolled back in her head a bit. "Look how happy he got when I tickled you. He obviously loves it when we enjoy each other."

Sookie still tried to talk, though it wasn't easy with his fingers probing her. "He must be really smart, right? To… to understand what's going on?"

"I'm sure he's very smart, but he only needs to feel what we are feeling to react. If we are happy, he is happy." Eric began to suck her nipple, so she moaned as she spoke.

"Bobbie said he'll never have the kind of hang-ups about sex and nudity that humans have," she was determined to talk about this as he pulled one of her wrists above her head and pinned it down.

"Exactly. We are going to raise a healthy, happy, Goddess-worshiping vampire baby," he said hoarsely as he pinned the other wrist above her and spread her legs with his knees, balancing himself effortlessly in a way no human man could.

"He might be more Fae than vampire…"

"He will be vampire, trust me." Eric emphasized the last two words by sliding into her forcefully and she finally stopped talking, She was overcome by a wave of sensation then, and he released her wrists. She was frantic in the best way, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling his forehead against hers as he took her aggressively. She loved this. It flashed through her mind that the baby would love it, too, and shocked herself a bit, but it didn't last long. Almost as if Eric could read her mind, the minute that thought hit her, he bit her neck and she started to come instantly. She heard Eric think that she was beginning to be conditioned to climax from his bites and she knew he was very pleased with that development. She laughed as it occurred to her that she didn't mind it one bit, either, and Eric laughed, but then redoubled his efforts to focus her attention between her legs.

A picture flashed through Sookie's mind that she wished he'd do her doggie style and before she registered the thought she was flipped over on her stomach and pulled up on her knees. Was he reading her mind? She'd have to think about it later because right now all she could do was grab the edge of the mattress and hold on. Eric slammed her at vampire speed, something he'd only done a few times, and she began to come again. As she did, he pulled her upright, still on her knees, and bit her shoulder, but not hard enough to break the skin, and squeezed her breasts hard then yanked the nipples. It all happened so quickly that she had trouble remembering the whole thing later – all she could remember is that her orgasm was like an explosion in her body and brain. In the distance she heard Eric howl as he finished and she felt like a ragdoll as he let her back down on the mattress with her back to him.

He lay behind her laughing softly.

When Sookie could speak again, she asked "is he actually cheering?"

Eric laughed loudly then, "yes, he is. My son, the Viking warrior! There is nothing like a good fuck or a good fight!"

"Oh. My. Goddess!"

"Look at it this way, Sookie – at least you know he is not disturbed by it when we fuck. He knows we're having fun and enjoys the energy."

"Oh, man – if he's like you when he hits puberty, they'll have to lock up every girl in the state to keep him away from them," Sookie laughed.

"Of course he will be like his father. That is a part of the magick. And you are his mother, so I think it's safe to say that he will have an active sex drive."

"There won't be any other kids like him, though."

"There will be a whole world of vampiresses, humans, Fairies, probably even Weres and Shifters who will offer themselves to him. He will be more famous than a rock star."

"I hope he doesn't grow up to be a geek who wants nothing to do with fighting or girls…"

"I told you, Sookie, I saw him. He'll be magnificent."

Sookie cracked up, "I know, I was just teasing you. He has to be pretty special if all these powerful people have gone to such lengths to get him here."

Eric turned to face her and she rolled over. "So you believe me, now?"

"I always did. I'm kind of enjoying the idea that my baby is going to be a big, gorgeous badass like his daddy. It's the next best thing to having you cloned, and there just aren't enough hot vampire Sheriffs like you to go around," she cracked up again.

"You're getting silly," he said with delight, stroking her cheek.

"I always feel a little giddy after we do it, you know, it's such a high!"

He kissed her, then kissed her again and took her in his arms. "My Sookie. It doesn't seem possible, but you get prettier every day. When I see you for the first time every night, it's like I'm seeing you for the first time, and I'm shocked by your beauty."

Sookie laughed. "I feel the same way about you. I mean, when we're apart, I know you're gorgeous, but then when I see you again, it's like DAMN! He's gorgeous!"

Eric laughed at that and hugged her. "You know, I have laughed more since I met you than I have in the century before. I can't believe how much brighter my world is with you in it."

"Aww – Sweetie!" she teased him and kissed him and hugged his neck tight. He held on a long time until she yawned.

"My Sookie needs to sleep," he said firmly, pressing his forehead gently against hers and looking her in the eye.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm still a little hungry, though."

"Is there food up here?"

"There should be at least one more meal, but I'll need that for later. I could into some milk, crackers and peanut butter, though, and a True Blood."

"Alright, wait right here," he got up and went around to the little fridge, pulling out a pink plastic covered dish that had a section full of peanut butter, some crackers in another section and some celery in another. There was a note with it that told him to get her a knife and a straw from the basket and use the glass in the door for her milk. Her tray was on top of the little fridge so he set it all up then set it across her lap, opening the True Blood once the tray was in place.

"Wow – now that's what I call service!"

"We can't let my son go hungry, now can we?" he joked

"No, we can't because he's a persistent little critter."

"He is very demanding – he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it, as improbable as that seems," Eric said proudly as he lay next to her. "I told you, Sookie, my son and I will be selfish. We want all of your attention."

"Oh, man – wait 'til he's on the outside and can scream and cry for what he wants."

"That won't be necessary – you'll be right there to see to him. He won't want for anything."

"Babies still cry, Eric, even if you're right with them."

"Yes, they do, and he will have strong lungs," Eric laughed, "it will be like a battle cry instead of an infant mewling."

Sookie just laughed at him. It was so precious how proud he was of the baby already. She couldn't wait to see them together. "Um – after this, don't forget to feed me your blood. I think that really helps the baby."

"It helps you, too, judging from the orgasm is always gives you," Eric laughed smugly.

"It's a good thing I love it when you brag about yourself and YOUR SON," Sookie laughed, "or I wouldn't be able to take you at times like this."

"I cannot wait to hold him in my arms, Sookie. To dress him up and take him to Fangtasia with me, take him to see the Queen and present him at Court."

"What if he's Fae?"

"He is vampire. Trust me."

"Alright, if you say so. I just don't want you to be disappointed or ashamed of him."

"Sookie, I will never be ashamed of my son," he said in all seriousness. "He is a part of me and a part of you. No matter how he looks or acts, I will love him as fiercely as any father could."

Sookie got a little misty at that as she spread peanut butter on another cracker. "You're going to be a great Daddy. And, I'm going to try like hell to be a good Mommy!"

"You will be, Sookie, I know it. What a lucky boy he will be to wake up to your pretty face, and that big smile, and be held close and suckle at those wonderful breasts. No child could want for more. I can just picture you, sitting on the floor in the den, playing with him, showing him his little toys and teaching him to talk. That reminds me – I need to get a good video camera! I want you to tape him if he's awake in the day time so I don't miss a minute of it."

"OK. You know, I never even thought of that. I just always assumed he'd be awake in the day time."

"Has the doctor said anything about that?"

"No, not that I remember. Most babies sleep and eat around the clock. You think he might be out for the daylight hours like you are?" Sookie hated that idea.

"You sound disappointed, Sookie."

"I want him with me in the day time! I don't want to miss both of you all day!"

"If he keeps vampire hours, Sookie, you could always come over."

"You mean, become a vampire?"

"Yes. Then he never has to lose his mother."

"Yeah, I'm going to die like a normal human, right?"

"No, you'll live pretty much as you are for another 60 years or so – my blood will keep you young and pretty for a very long time. You've got lots of time to think about it."

"I never even considered that. If he's immortal and I'm not…"

"You've got many years to think about it, Sweetheart. Focus on the joy."

"Right. I've got ti-iiiiiIIIIIImMMme – wow! What a yawn!"

"Are you almost finished? You need sleep."

"OK, let me brush my teeth and I'll settle down."

While Sookie did her thing in the bathroom, Eric cleared her tray away and set the dirty dishes on the dresser so Alicia could get them in the morning. He fluffed the pillows and slid into his side, holding the covers back for her when she came back to bed. He put his arm out so she could lay her head on it, and once she was settled, he turned off the light in the headboard. He lay in the dark, listening to her breathing, and when he was sure she was asleep, he put his hand over her womb and closed his eyes. He smiled to himself that it was as if he could "see" the baby floating there, too, just as Sookie said, and he was warm, happy and sucking his tiny thumb. He also got a distinct sense that the baby was aware of him somehow.

'Kick' Eric thought and he felt the vibration in Sookie's stomach.

'Kick kick.'

Two little bumps.

Eric projected a clear picture of the baby turning, and he could feel the shift in Sookie's stomach. There was no question – the baby could read Eric's mind. The question now was whether this telepathy only worked because the baby was tapped into the bond, or would it extend to other vampires? If it did, that was both an advantage and a great danger. As powerful as that could make an adult vampire, if it became known while he was a child and couldn't control or conceal it, it could put him in danger.

FIGHT!

Eric's eyes flew open. Eric knew that feeling well – the feeling that a warrior feels when he knows battle is immanent. The feeling that you can't wait to kick ass on someone who richly deserves it. That feeling that says "come on, fuck with me, see what happens."

'My little warrior,' Eric thought proudly, provoking a wave of happiness from the baby. Eric had to wipe the blood from his eyes as he lay there, communing with his son. At one point, Eric felt the baby's awareness fade, and he knew his son was sleeping. He lay there a bit longer, stroking Sookie's stomach with the backs of his fingers, thinking about what it meant to be a father.

He finally realized it was less than 2 hours before dawn and he had work to do, so he made himself get up and get to work. He berated himself for being so reluctant to get out of bed. Leaving them was gut-wrenching, and he was shocked at himself. He wondered if he was getting old, or soft, then had to admit to himself that he was simply in love with his family. For good or ill, he wanted to be with them more than anything – more than he had ever wanted anything in his long life. 'Might as well get used to it, Erik," he thought to himself, "this is what happens when you have a family – you care about more than yourself.' Weakness or not, this was his new reality, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

Sookie was on the shore again, sitting on the throne in her black dress, wearing a crown of laurel leaves on her head. The morning sun was warming her as she sat there playing with the beads, chanting one stanza for each of six light pink beads:

Freyja, Frigga, Vanadis,

Wrap me in Your golden bliss

Lady, Lover, Warrior, Mother,

Bless Our love for one another

Wrap me in your Falcon cloak

Let Erik's love in me invoke

My greatest good; I shall aspire

to manifest all You desire

Sun and Moon, Land and Sea

Let your power flow through me

Wise of mind and pure of heart

From Erik We shall never part

Lady Shining on the Sea,

Awaken magick born in me

With good for all and harming none

Through me now shall Your will be done

Freyja, golden boar and cats,

Let me remember my lives past

To finish work that came before

I'm ready to walk through the Door

Your power is Mine,

Now is the time,

East through North, three times three

You manifest Your dreams through Me.

Then when she got to a dark pink bead she said "Blessed is the Lady, Our Mother and Our World," and then began the six stanzas over on the next set of six beads. Somehow, Sookie knew there were 13 sets of six beads, and she knew there was another way to use them, too. Sookie felt as if she was there for hours, saying the phrases over and over, until she reached the last bead and opened her eyes.

"Whew – I think I got it all!" Bobbie, who was writing furiously, said.

"Hey, Bobbie – what are you doing?"

"I'm writing down the lines you were chanting. I came in in the middle, but you went through them several times so I'm pretty sure I got it all."

"You mean that was real?"

"What?"

"I was on the shore in the morning sun, sitting in that big throne or whatever, playing with those beads and saying that poem. It went on and on while I worked my way around the string or loop or whatever."

"Were you saying the six sayings through, one stanza for each bead?"

"Yeah, but I knew I could do it differently, too."

"Tell me about that."

"I could take one stanza and say it 6 times, then do the next one on the next set of 6, and do that twice then do one for each of 6 for the thirteenth group."

"Awesome! Anything else happen?"

"No, I was just sitting there, saying that poem and playing with the beads."

"What were you wearing?"

"The black dress."

"What time was it?"

"The morning sun was warm on me. OH – and I was wearing a crown of laurel leaves, whatever that is. I don't know how I knew what they were, but I was wearing them."

"This is so cool, Sookie. This tells us how to make your beads – 13 groups of six, and I guess there's a bead in between where you say "Blessed is the Lady…"

Sookie joined in and they spoke together "Our Mother and Our World."

"That's a neat little way to end a prayer. Did you read it somewhere?"

"No, I never heard it before until I said it in the dream."

"Those dreams of yours are no joke. I wonder what we've already missed. I'm going to come in here early every day like this just in case. This stuff is amazing."

"Are we going to go to Gran's today?"

"I've got a better idea. Let's go tomorrow. The bead store is open today, but tomorrow is Sunday and they'll be closed. While this is fresh in your mind, let's get going on this rosary."

"OK, I guess."

"I'll call them and see what their hours are." Bobbie grabbed Sookie's computer to look for the number and Sookie grabbed the phone off of Eric's nightstand.

Bobbie was able to find out that the shop was open, but there was a kid's party going on, though they could still come in if they wanted since it was only two of them working on one piece. Sookie went in to shower while Bobbie got directions and did some research on the computer. At one point, she called in to Sookie, who had just rinsed her hair, "Hey, Sookie, were the beads on a chain or string?"

"Some kind of string. You could see knots in between the beads."

"What color?"

"Pink, maybe? I'm not sure."

"Alright, Sweetie, and you said there were small gold beads?"

"No, I got a better look at them this time – the beads were definitely copper."

"Interesting. Copper is for love Goddesses – that's a good choice to go with Freyja and with the pink colors."

Sookie finished and wrapped a towel around herself, continuing the conversation as she combed out her hair. "And I was really saying all that out loud?"

"Yep. It took me a minute to realize that you were asleep, and I just grabbed your steno pad and started writing. I'm so glad it repeated – it took three times through to get it all, then you said it once more so I was able to check it. You woke up right as you said the last "Blessed is Our Lady" phrase.

Sookie laughed a little, "I guess I was done, huh?"

"Apparently. This whole thing is so cool, Sookie. I can't wait to see the finished product."

"I never heard of anything like this – have you?"

"I've heard of dreams coming true, and people getting answers and ideas from dreams, but a complete design for something like this is pretty rare. I mean, it has happened, but it's a huge deal when it does."

"OK, that gives me a little perspective, I guess. It's not the freakiest thing in the world, but it's a big deal."

"Right, and a great gift from the Goddess. People would do almost anything for such direct information."

"You think I'll ever get to talk to Her or see Her?"

"Eric thinks you will, so my money says 'yes.'"

"Why's he so sure about this stuff? Sometimes I think he knows a lot more than he's telling me."

"I'd bet money on that, too. He's what? Hundreds of years old?"

"Don't tell anybody, but he's over a thousand years old."

"WOW!"

"I know – I can't even wrap my mind around it. He's an actual Viking."

"Yeah," Bobbie nodded as she looked up in the air, then back at Sookie, "yeah, I can totally see that, his size and the way he carries himself. He's used to being the biggest, baddest thing on the block."

"Exactly," Sookie said as she wiggled into a dark blue dress Alicia laid out for her.

"What a turn-on, huh?" Bobbie laughed

"Yeah, you have no idea. It makes me feel really safe, too. Did I tell you about that vampire party he took me to?" She pulled on a pink thong and slipped on her new navy sandals.

"No! When was this?"

"The same week I found out I was pregnant." She said as she picked up her navy bag. "Alicia just started and helped me shop for it. Anyway, it was at the Queen of Louisiana's house in New Orleans."

"Fancy?" Bobbie asked as they headed downstairs.

"Like an Egyptian palace! Reflecting pools along the walk up to the house, then pale teal green marble with purple and black inlay inside."

"How many people?"

"Maybe 200, mostly vampires. It was the first time I met Amelia, and my cousin Hadley was there, but there were only one or two other humans besides us."

"How did they react to you?"

"Everybody looked at me like they were starving. I smell extra sweet to them and Eric said it was rolling off of me because of the baby. Then, when the Queen announced the baby and extended her protection to us, I swear every one of them thought about taking me from Eric, and that's not conceit, you could see it in their faces."

"Nobody tried, though, right?"

"No – they're all afraid of Eric. I'm so glad I wasn't with Bill. He couldn't have protected me, I don't think."

They had to stop the vamp talk as they went into the kitchen. "'Morning, ladies!" Sookie said to Alicia and Margaret.

"Miss Sookie! We didn't know you were up yet!" Alicia was surprised she was already dressed.

"Yeah, instead of going to Gran's today, we're going to go to a bead shop in town. Do you have something quick I could get for breakfast before we go, and a True Blood?"

"Of course, Miss," Margaret smiled at her. "Are you going to make jewelry for the wedding?"

"Why? Can you do that there?" Sookie didn't know this.

"Oh, yes, bridal jewelry is one of their specialties. You can make it yourself or they'll make it for you."

"Oh – that's nice. Maybe I'll get a little something for the wedding. I need something to wear in my hair."

"That would be nice. How would you like salmon and bagels?"

"Awesome. Bobbie you want some?"

"I could eat one, I guess, but only if you've got plenty."

"Not a problem, we've got plenty," Margaret assured her.

The four women all had a pleasant chat about wedding details so Sookie would have it all fresh in her mind when she looked at the bead shop. They never told Alicia and Margaret the real purpose of the trip, just because Sookie didn't want to explain it all. When breakfast was done they headed out in Sookie's new BMW.

"You can drive, right, Bobbie?"

"Yeah, you want me to?"

"Yeah, I don't feel up to it right now."

"Are you sick?" Bobbie asked as she took the keys and went to the driver's side door.

"Just a little out of it still." Sookie said as she slid into the passenger seat. "I feel like I'm not completely awake. I'm not real comfortable driving this thing, either."

"Don't you like this car?"

"It's a little intimidating. I really liked my Camaro, but it didn't have room for a car seat, plus this one is bullet-proof."

"Try not to think about it, Hon. Eric is just being overly protective. This is a really nice car. He just wanted the very best for you and the baby."

"Yeah, I guess."

They chatted about music on the radio as they drove, and got to the store in about half an hour. The kid's party was in full swing, a bunch of 12 year old girls squealing and jumping up and down as they picked out their beads and learned how to put them together. Bobbie had been to places like this before, so she grabbed a tray and started counting out the beads that she needed, showing Sookie the various sizes available and doing what Sookie thought was a very good job of recreating the rosary from her dream. Sookie learned that copper spacers and findings are relatively inexpensive, so they were able to use all they wanted without worrying about driving the price up. Bobbie thought it was funny that Sookie still worried about things like that, but they went with it. Ruby beads, on the other hand, were really expensive and the store only carried small ones and not quite enough to use them for the whole string, so they plugged in garnet for the main part of it and just used rubies on the part where the string joined and went down to the pendant. Sookie found a nice Goddess pendant in the "drawing down the moon" position that she found was used quite a bit these days and it had a gorgeous copper color, though Bobbie was less than thrilled that it had a pewter base.

"What's wrong with pewter?"

"It can't hold mana."

"What's "mana?""

"Life force, chi, a magical charge. Pewter is relatively dead that way, which is a shame because the market is being flooded these days with pewter pentacles and other magical seals. It's hard to find a decent quality one these days because of all the crap out there."

"What makes a good pentacle?"

"I'm really picky about mine. They have to be real silver for everyday wear, or gold would work for you since you're with a vamp, but silver is traditionally worn for protection. They have to have a solid circle around them, and the points of the pentagram have to be inside the circle. Then, they need to be on a real silver chain. These black cords that are showing up everywhere don't protect anything."

"And that's hard to find?"

"You have no idea. There's so much trash being produced these days and people don't know any better than to buy it, then they wonder why their magick doesn't work."

"I've got a lot to learn," Sookie said absently as she watched Bobbie count out enough small copper spacers to go between every larger bead."

"How long will it take to put it together?"

"Depends on how nimble my fingers are today, and whether they have equipment to help with tying the knots, but I'm sure they will. That's the time consuming part – you have to get the knots up close to the beads, and it can take a while. The quality of the string makes a big difference, too. Hopefully they'll have waxed string so it handles more easily."

"Do you have to knot it between every bead?"

"Well, the more knots, the longer it will last and then the easier to fix if it were to break. The best quality necklaces, like strings of pearls, are knotted between every bead. I don't think we should skimp on this.

When Bobbie was sure they had all the components, they sat at a work table and Bobbie showed Sookie how the flocked beading trays helped you lay it all out, though they had to use two because this was going to be a long string. Sookie mostly watched and helped Bobbie, and they had a special little needle thing that helps tie the knots that Bobbie was able to use pretty quickly.

Bobbie talked a little about the properties of the stones as they worked, about how rose quartz was for the heart chakra and good for love magick and love Goddesses, and that garnets created energy but you had to give it direction or they could make you bitchy. The rubies were definite love stones and they were rare, and expensive partially because people believed they had lots of power. She explained that the roundness of the stones would make them feel more sensual than the other shapes – faceted, briolette, oval, coin, tumbled irregular stones, chips, etc. – and she would be more likely to use them if they were smooth. Bobbie was also picky about having natural stones rather than heated ones that were formed from dust and manufactured.

"You should make one for you, Bobbie."

"I have one, Sweetie, but it's not divinely inspired the way yours is. I'm fond of it, though. It uses a lot of different stones and beads with real silver spacers between them. I'll show it to you when we get home. You know, you can buy Goddess rosaries these days, too."

"What are the purchased ones like?"

"There are several different styles, but the ones that I see most often are thirteen white stones, thirteen red stones and thirteen black stones for the three main kinds of magick."

"Like, white magick, red magick and black magick?"

"Exactly."

"Is black magick evil?"

"No, Sweetie, that's Christian propaganda. The church doesn't want people taking their spirituality into their own hands. They want you to go through their priests and say novenas instead of casting spells."

"What is it, then?"

"Black magick just refers to actual ritual or spell work. White magick is art, poetry, writing, drama, anything creative. Red magick has to do with the body – healing, massage, menstruation, childbirth, sex."

"Which one would cooking be – red or white?"

"Good question. It could be any one of the three, depending on what you were cooking and why."

"Are there cooking spells?"

"Sure, sweetie, that's why you always see Witches stirring cauldrons. Cauldrons are also a womb symbol, so that's another reason they're associated with the Goddess. The Goddess Cerridwen had a magick cauldron that gave wisdom and inspiration and in some stories it could reanimate slain warriors. It's also associated with the Holy Grail."

"I read that book a while back where they were saying that the Holy Grail was Mary Magdalene's womb – like that?"

"Yeah, all those stories are connected. Bran the Blessed is King Arthur is Jesus is Dionysus is Mithras is Osiris. Those stories were told and retold all over Europe and the Middle East and it's all somebody's religion. Most of it got synthesized into what people call Christianity these days."

"Isn't it?"

"No, what passes as Christianity these days has little to do with the actual teachings of Jesus. It's an amalgam of myths that may or may not have some historical basis."

"Why has it been so successful?"

"Because, unlike most civilizations, it's practitioners have been willing to commit genocide everywhere they went."

"That's like in **When God Was a Woman**, right?"

"Right."

"I've been thinking about that book a lot lately. That's why I'm hoping I get to actually see Freyja. If I can see Her and talk to Her, I'll believe it."

"Does seeing her in a dream count?"

"If it's a dream like I've been having, yeah. They aren't like normal dreams. I really feel the ocean and the breeze and the sun on my skin. It's like actually being there until I open my eyes. It's a little bit disorienting."

"When you wake up, you mean?"

"Yeah, it's like I'm there, then all at once I'm here and there's no transition. It's just "bam," eyes open, I'm back! Ready or not, there I am."

"Interesting."

"Why?"

"Well, if there's no transition, maybe you're right there no matter where you are. Have you ever tried to go there consciously?"

"How would I do that?"

"Relax, close your eyes and picture it. Try it sometime when you're alone."

"OK, maybe. No reason not to, I guess. Are you getting hungry?"

"A little – you must be, right? Do you want to eat out or go home?"

"You have a lot more to do there?"

"Not really. I'm faster at this than I expected. The string is really cooperative today."

"Would you mind if we went home for dinner?"

"No, not at all. We're getting ready to tie this off and add the pendant. Would you ask the lady up there if they have a thread burner?"

"Thread burner? OK, sure."

Sookie went to the counter while Bobbie added a ruby to each side and a copper connector engraved with a rose design, then she extended a string of rubies going down to the Goddess pendant. Sookie brought back a burner and they finished the end knots and sealed them with glue. They added up the pieces they had used and went up to the counter to pay with Sookie's credit card and she was a little panicked at the price, but she realized that in other ways this was priceless. She also knew Eric would be thrilled that they made it and care not a bit about the cost. Bobbie bought a few things for herself, so while she was paying, Sookie called home to tell Margaret they'd be there for dinner.

"Hey, Bobbie, can I wear this?" Sookie asked as they settled into the car for the drive home.

"Sure, if you want. That's a great way to get your energy into it – wear it, sleep with it under your pillow, and pray on it every day."

"I don't know if I'll be disciplined enough to do it every day, but wearing it and putting it under the pillow are easy enough."

"It'll get to be like a friend and it will get charged with your energy. You could dedicate it in a ritual, too, of course, for optimum energy. That's a great, simple ritual to start with."

"Can you show me, or should I ask Amelia?"

"I think you should ask Amelia because I don't want to step on any toes. If she suggests I show you, though, I'm happy to do that."

"This is why I want you to meet her. I know I can learn stuff from both of you. Her teacher is coming to visit Fourth of July weekend and I'm really looking forward to that."

"What's she like?"

"An older black lady is all I know, but Amelia says she knows everything. I love people like that."

"You do?"

"Yeah, talking to people about things that I don't know much about is so much fun. It's a little more fun than reading a book, though I like that, too. I like to learn new things."

"That's good. Magick is a good subject for you because there's always more to learn."

"I hope I can learn enough to do what I'm supposed to do."

"What's that?"

"Teach the baby magick."

"Well, you've started, so by the time he's old enough to understand, you'll know at least enough to stay ahead of him."

"That's true – but Dr. Ludwig said to study now because once I have the baby there won't be time to"

"She's got a point there. Babies do demand a lot of time and attention. Plus, the more you know then, the more you can teach him as he grows."

"Is that a good idea, though? Shouldn't I wait until he's old enough to know who to tell and who not?"

"Ask Amelia about that. I think starting him early and making it just another part of life is a good idea. It's not something you pick up and put down. It's a way of living. Even human babies are psychic, but they're trained out of it by the time they go to school. Your baby can have just the opposite training – you can teach him to develop his gifts and respect them rather than fear them. Part of that will be teaching him when it's appropriate to cast or read and when you should be discreet about it. Start early and he'll never have to think about it – he'll just automatically do what he's always done."

"Can a baby understand that we don't talk about this around Gran, or Uncle Jason, but you do talk about it with Mommy or Aunt Bobbie, for example?"

"Sure they can. This is going to be a very smart baby."

"Yeah, he already is. Eric thought I was asleep last night and he was thinking "kick" to the baby and he responded every time. If he said "kick, kick," he'd kick twice."

"Wow – why didn't you tell him you were awake?"

"It was too sweet. He had his hand over my uterus and they were sort of communing with each other, so I just breathed really deep like I was sleeping and let them have time together."

"That's awesome."

"Yeah, it is. You know what Eric brought up though, that never occurred to me – what if the baby sleeps all day like he does?"

"Won't he?"

"I don't know. I just always assumed he'd be with me all day. I don't want to miss both of them."

"Don't get too excited about it either way, yet. We don't know how much vamp and how much Fae you'll have in him. If he's more Fae, no problem."

"Eric's convinced he'll be vampire."

"He can be both – did you know that some Fae only drink blood?"

"No, I didn't!"

"Yep, and some take milk or blood, or food and blood. There are all kinds of possibilities for your little darling."

"Wow – that's almost a bigger deal than knowing whether it's a boy or a girl."

"Bigger, if you ask me. With boy or girl, you've got a 50-50 chance. There are probably hundreds of combinations possible with this bambino. It's going to be an adventure."

"That's kind of exciting, when you put it that way…"

"What else would it be?"

"Scary."

"Don't be scared, Sweetie, you've got Divine Influence here. Speaking of which – any idea why She chose you?"

"Yeah – for Eric. She promised Eric she'd be born as a human and make all his dreams come true and be with him forever."

"Wow! And you're the incarnation? Bless your heart, girl – that's amazing. There's no telling how strong your magick might be."

"Amelia says it's pretty strong. She says when I learn how to work my energy I could, and I quote, "light up all of New Orleans," Sookie laughed.

"I don't doubt that a bit, Hon. Your aura is no joke."

"Can you see auras?"

"Yeah, very faintly. Yours is brighter than most, though, so it's easy to see. You're pink and yellow like a summer day or spring flowers."

"That's how Eric says he likes me to dress – feminine and pretty like a summer's day."

"You must wear a lot of dresses then, "

"Yep, he doesn't think shorts cover enough."

"Yeah, that's a vamp thing, from what I remember."

"How many vamps have you known?"

"Lots of clients, but I dated a couple, too, even before the Great Revelation."

"Wow – did you know?"

"Yeah. I was pretty wild in those days, so it was just one more bit of kink, you know? You never really knew for sure – you're not going to expose your boyfriend to sunlight or stake him or anything like that, and there's no way to know if they live forever. Plus, anybody can lie about their age. It can be hard to tell a vamp from an extreme Goth kid if you never see them in daylight and they have a taste for blood."

"What about their fangs?"

"There are dental quality fangs you can get put in – even some that retract."

"Wow – you can buy anything if you know where to shop!" Sookie laughed hard at that and Bobbie did, too."

"Vampires can glamour people, though."

"Nobody knew that then."

"I'm so glad that doesn't work on me," Sookie said as they turned down the street to go home.

"I wonder what Margaret is making for dinner?"

"I don't know, but it will be fantastic, whatever it is. I swear, Bobbie, she can make anything taste better than anybody. Even a roast beef or turkey sandwich just explodes with flavor."

"That étouffé last night was amazing."

"Yeah, and she uses shrimp the size of lobsters," Sookie laughed.

"I didn't even know they got that big in this part of the world," Bobbie laughed. "Where's the garage door opener, again?"

"This button here," Sookie pressed a button in the ceiling console and the door went up. Leroy, who was polishing Eric's car, waved at them with a big smile.

"He's a cutie!" Bobbie said softly as she pulled into the garage.

"Yeah, he is. He's really nice. He's one of the gardeners."

"How many are there?"

"The main gardener then the two boys. I think the boys work around their classes or something like that, but there's almost always at least one of them here," Sookie explained as they opened their doors.

Margaret had the kitchen smelling fantastic when they walked in.

"Mmm – Margaret! What are we having?" Sookie looked over into a skillet where something breaded was frying in a little oil and butter.

"Turkey cutlets with a parmesan crust. The boys went wild for it."

"I think they're going to have company!" Sookie laughed and Bobbie agreed. Sookie and Bobbie both went to the bathroom in the den to wash their hands as Alicia set the table for them and Margaret poured sweet tea. By the time everyone was seated and eating, Eric was up.

"Hello, Ladies!" Eric came into the room barefoot, wearing jeans and a black tank shirt, looking like dessert as far as Sookie – and the other women, too – was concerned.

"Hi, Sweetie!" Sookie stretched up to meet him in a kiss, he running his fingers under the rosary and giving her a big smile. "Did you make these, Sweetheart?"

"Yep, I had a dream today that gave me a whole thing to say for them, so Bobbie and I went and she put it together for me."

"It's very pretty. You did a good job, Bobbie." Eric was thrilled that Sookie, with Bobbie's help, had followed through on the dream. The sooner she cemented her relationship to Freyja, the better as far as Eric was concerned. He'd been waiting for this for hundreds of years and now that he found Her again, he wanted all of Her, now and forever. Sookie was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he knew in his heart she was only going to get stronger, wilder, sweeter in every way.


	17. Chapter 17

**Such Pure and Immaculate Strength Part 17**

"Sookie! Sookie!"

Sookie opened her eyes and was sitting in the big chair again, but it felt like afternoon this time because the sun was bright and warm.

"Sookie!"

She heard her name and stood to look back beyond the shore where she stood and she saw a beautiful blonde woman in a long white dress walking over a hill coming toward her and waving. As She drew near, Sookie noticed that She was wearing a rosary around her neck that was just like the one around Sookie's neck. The Woman was tall and beautiful, with porcelain skin and flowing hair that ended below her hips. She was smiling brilliantly and walked right up Sookie and kissed her on the lips, wrapping Her arms around her.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Dearest!"

"Thanks – are you Freyja?"

"Of course, Sookie, you know Me!"

"Yeah, I do! I've seen you before!" Sookie suddenly flashed back on seeing this blonde woman who smelled like roses when she was a little girl.

"Yes, you were very small, then, but I used to visit you when you'd cry yourself to sleep and sing to you."

"I thought those were dreams!"

"They were, and they weren't, just like now."

"I have so many things I want to ask you…"

"All in good time, Dear Girl. There isn't time today – you have to do Me a favor!"

"What can I do for you?" Sookie couldn't think of any way she might help a Goddess.

"You have to take this to Sookie!" She laughed as She pulled the rosary over Her head. "Tell her the other rosary needs to stay in Elfyria."

"But I'm Sookie!" She blinked with surprise, but suddenly Sookie was near the water, the chair was gone, and she saw a woman dressed just like her holding a baby. Sookie gasped as she realized she was looking at herself!

The Other Sookie turned to look at her, looking as confused as she.

"Who are you?" The Other Sookie asked, not wanting to scare the apparition, or whatever she was seeing, away.

"I'm Sookie Stackhouse, but I think I'm you," Sookie said, a little scared and a little cautious, but also fascinated.

"I'm Sookie Northman now," The Other Sookie said with a soft smile, suddenly feeling the urge to protect the girl in front of her.

"What year is it?" Sookie suddenly became excited that she knew what was happening. "I live in 2006."

"It's 2009 where I am."

"Is that my baby? Eric's baby?" The girl touched her own stomach, which The Other Sookie noticed was just starting to form the familiar bubble.

"One of them. They're twins, you know, don't let anybody tell you different."

"Twins! Eric will be thrilled!"

"Yes, he will," The Other Sookie beamed at her, the way she held the baby reminding Sookie of "Madonna and Child" images she'd seen.

"Are we still happy and in love?" Sookie asked hopefully.

"More than ever," The Other Sookie smiled, walking closer so Sookie could see the baby, "This is Eric Auberon. His brother is Eric Alexander."

Sookie looked at the baby closely, but both Sookies were instinctively afraid to touch. Eric Auberon looked at Sookie with big blue eyes, giving her a big smile and saying, "Mama!" Sookie's eyes welled up as she said, "he has Eric's eyes! He's so beautiful – is he vampire or Fae?"

"This one's Fae, but there's one of each, and Sookie, never trust Niall. He'll try to keep the Fae child if you're not careful. Ask Freyja to help you keep them together!"

"Freyja! She told me to give this to you," Sookie held out the Goddess rosary beads she and Bobbie had made.

The Other Sookie reached for them, but there was a shimmer of light and the identical string Freyja had given her was now hanging from The Other Sookie's hand. "Freyja said to tell you that the others need to stay in…what was that name?"

"Elfyria?"

"Yes, the other rosary beads have to stay there, but She said to give you these."

"Where did they come from?" Sookie asked as she looked at the beads. Aubie was looking them over, too, and playing with them.

"Bobbie and I made them of materials that Freyja likes – rubies, garnets, copper, rose quartz," she listed all she could remember.

"You know Bobbie? In 2006? And you're already pregnant?"

"Yeah, Eric and I just clicked and before we knew what hit us, we were bonded and expecting Baby E in just a week or so!"

The Other Sookie's eyes lit up with excitement. "Sookie, this is important – did you ever sleep with Bill Compton?"

"No, thank Goddess! Eric got me away from him before we got that close. He was just trying to recruit me for his Queen!"

The Other Sookie closed her eyes and said, "Thank you, Goddess!" and promptly disappeared.

Sookie was standing alone on the shore, stunned, her mind swirling from her conversation with her older self. Two babies? The chair was suddenly next to her so she sat down and put her hand over her tummy. She closed her eyes and concentrated, but as usual she only saw one tiny baby in there. "Where's the other one?" She wondered aloud.

"Trapped in the Land of Faerie," Freyja said from behind her.

Sookie jumped up and faced her, frantic, "how is that possible?"

"He's in an egg. If nothing changes, Eric Auberon will be born there and Niall will raise him…"

"The one I just saw? NO! He's my baby! Mine and Eric's! He should be with us!"

"There's not much time, but if you work quickly, he can join his brother within your womb."

"What do I have to do? Just tell me, and I'll do it!"

"If you want him, you'll have to go get him."

"You mean go to Elfyria?"

"Exactly."

Sookie's eyes flew open. "NO!" she said as she sat up in bed, startling Bobbie who'd been just about to wake her.

"What happened, Sweetie?"

"My baby! My baby is trapped!" Sookie was frantic, and Bobbie wasn't sure whether she was still dreaming. She put the breakfast tray on the side table and sat on the bed next to Sookie, trying to calm her.

"Here, Sookie, breathe slowly. Did you have another dream?"

"It wasn't a dream, I saw Freyja, and another Sookie and one of my babies and She said if I want him, I have to go get him!"

"Go where, Sookie?"

"Elfyria or the Land of Faerie or whatever you call it. Niall has my other baby in an egg and Freyja said there's not much time if I want him inside me, I have to go get him!"

"You actually saw Freyja?"

"Yes, She kissed me and hugged me and she smells like roses, just like I remember! She had a rosary just like we made and She told me to "give it to Sookie," but I said, "I'm Sookie," but then there she was, but she was me three years from now and she had one of my babies, but Freyja said that one is trapped in Elfyria and if I want him I have to go get him!"

"How do you know there are two babies?"

"Sookie 2009 told me they're twins and not to let anybody tell me different and never to trust Niall because he'd try to keep Eric Auberon if he could…"

"Eric Auberon? That's the twin's name?"

"Yes, the one inside me is Eric Alexander. He's a vampire, but Eric Auberon is Fae. He was so beautiful, Bobbie, you should have seen him. He's has beautiful blue eyes just like Eric's and white blonde hair and he looked right at me and called me Mama!"

"OK, let's look at this logically. You know that Freyja is real now, right?"

"Right, I saw Her and touched Her and smelled Her and spoke to Her."

"And this other Sookie was definitely you?"

"Yes, but she was older."

"But she still had the baby?"

"Yes."

"Shouldn't he have been, like, three years old?"

"Yeah, but he wasn't and now that I think about it, he was too small to be able to talk but he did!"

"Have you had any kind of ultrasound to know that you aren't carrying two babies?"

"No, but I can see him in my mind, and there's only one. Eric will tell you the same thing."

"And you said Niall has him?"

"Right,"

"So you can't ask him for help. Who else do you know who would know about going to Elfyria?"

"I don't think Amelia will. I don't know if Eric would or not, but I think he might. Maybe Dr. Ludwig?"

"OK, we have three possible courses of action: 1) We call Amelia and see what she knows. 2) You call Dr. Ludwig and ask her how to get there, or 3) you wait for Eric and see what he suggests."

"OK, I don't know what Ludwig's relationship to Niall is, so I think I should talk to Eric before I do that. The only thing I can do right now is to call Amelia, right?"

"Right, so let's start there."

"OK, let me call, her." Bobbie went around the bed and got the phone from Eric's nightstand and handed it to her, sitting on his side of the bed facing back so she and Sookie could talk.

Sookie's hands were shaking a little as she dialed her old phone number.

"Hello?"

"Amelia? It's Sookie."

"Hey, Sweetie, what's up?"

"Are you and Gran still busy today?"

"No, we finished most of the decorations yesterday."

"OK, I have something really important to talk to you about. Can you come to my house, or maybe meet me and Bobbie somewhere? It's Witch stuff – really important."

"I guess, I could. Who's Bobbie?"

"She's my new masseuse and personal trainer. She's a Goddess-worshiper, too."

"Awesome! Your Grandma has some kind of chicken dinner at her church this afternoon…"

"Oh, yeah, they sell chicken dinners to raise money. Does she need you to help with that?"

"No, she gave me the day off," Amelia laughed. "She's already down there."

"OK, can you come over then? We can all hang out in the pool and talk. Bring everything you have about the Fae."

"Well, that's not a lot. Anything I should specifically look for?"

"Yeah, how to get there. I need to go to Elfyria."

"Yikes. I'm pretty sure I won't have much, but I'll call Octavia before I leave and see if she has any expertise in that area. I'll make sure I bring my Tarot cards, too, in case we need them."

"OK, we'll be waiting for you. Wear your bathing suit."

"Will do."

"She's coming over?" Bobbie asked

"Yes, so let's have breakfast and we'll swim and talk. I'm pretty sure this is beyond her experience but at least this will break the day up while I wait for Eric to wake up. I know I need to talk to him. You and Amelia can keep me from climbing the walls until sundown."

"Well, that's something at least," Bobbie tried to be positive as she went back around the bed and put the tray over Sookie's lap.

"Oh, cool – salmon!" Sookie said, feeling little more grounded now that she'd done something, even if it wasn't much. "At least I know what I'll look like in three years," she tried to joke about it. Something in her knew she had to wait for Eric, and she also knew that come hell or high water, she was going to get her baby.

"Did you look the same?"

"No, a lot better. My hair was longer and blonder, I was in great shape and my skin was glowing and perfect. I guess living with Eric and having babies agrees with me."

"Did you seem happy?"

"I seemed… what's that word that they always use about the way Mary smiles at Jesus in almost every painting of them?" She asked as she piled up salmon on a bagel spread thickly with cream cheese and topped it with another to make a sandwich.

"Beatific?"

"Yeah, like that. There was a glow about her and the baby, and he was just the prettiest baby I've ever seen!" Sookie took a huge bite of the sandwich.

"So you'll have two gorgeous babies? Nothing wrong with that!"

"Yeah. I wonder why one made it and the other didn't?" She said with her mouth full. Suddenly, she was starving.

"What does your intuition tell you?"

"Somebody wanted it that way, but it's not the way it's supposed to be," she said without even thinking, then she took a big swig of grape juice.

"Could that be Niall?"

"Yeah, but it's not." She looked up in the air for a second then said, "opportunistic… Niall is being opportunistic. Like, something went wrong, but the way it went wrong benefits him, so he did nothing to fix it." She took another big bite of bagel.

"Interesting. Could he have fixed it?"

"Yeah, but he won't – he's better off this way."

"Is the baby better off this way?"

"NO WAY! He's being… cheated. Yeah, he's being cheated out of something, like, not just being in me and having Eric for a daddy, but something more tangible. Niall is taking something away from him this way."

"OK, I want you to write that down, and describe everything that happened in your dream."

"I need a better word than "dream" for these spells," she said between bites, "they're way too real to be dreams."

"Visions, maybe?"

"No, it's more than seeing..."

"Visitations?"

"Visitations…?" Sookie considered. "Yeah, I like that. Visitations!" She finished her bagel and let Bobbie set the tray aside.

"OK, write everything you can remember about your visitation, then we'll head for the pool."

"Actually, let's go on down and I'll write by the pool. I need some air, or I'm going to flip out."

"OK, put your suit on and I'll meet you down there."

"Good," Sookie threw her steno pad on the bed and headed for the dresser, finding a brand new pink floral bikini that she really liked, and she grabbed one of Eric's white shirts from the closet. Her tote bag was already packed except for her steno pad and her iPod, which she found in Eric's office in a thing that turned out to be a charging station on the inside wall. She put her hair in a ponytail, grabbed the steno pad from the bed and bounced down the stairs, muttering to herself that he was her baby and she was bringing him home, no matter what.

"Hey, Margaret! Hey, Alicia!"

"Good morning, Miss Sookie!" Margaret said with surprise.

"Good Morning!" Alicia laughed, knowing Sookie was headed for the pool.

"My friend Amelia is on her way over in a bit. Will you show her out to the pool when she gets here, please?"

"Sure, we will. Have fun!" Alicia told her.

Sookie felt better the minute she stepped out of the house. She pulled her shirt off and sat in a chair by one of the tables under an umbrella and pulled out her steno pad and pen. She tried to remember everything that happened that morning, writing it all down as clearly as she could, knowing Eric would read it when he got up. She thought she covered it pretty thoroughly, but she must not have written long because Bobbie wasn't even down there yet, but she closed the pad and headed for the rack full of pool toys. She grabbed her favorite pink mattress and jumped into the pool at the side, letting out a whoop as she hit the cold water. She managed to get up on the mattress and lean back, letting the sun warm her tummy. She was never really sure what happened next.

"Sookie? Can you hear me?" Sookie tried to reply to Freyja's voice, but she couldn't lift her head. "It's almost time, dearest! Be ready!"

"Sookie? Sookie, wake up!" Amelia called as she waded into the pool and Bobbie pushed the mattress Sookie was lying on up to the shallow end, still trying to wake Sookie up. Bobbie checked her pulse, which felt normal, and Sookie was warm and her hair was dry, so she didn't seem as if she'd been in the water.

"She's warm, her pulse is normal, she's breathing. Thank Goddess she didn't roll into the water," Bobbie said with relief. "She hasn't been out here that long. I don't know what could have happened."

"Do you think we can lift her and get her over to a lounge chair without dropping her?"

"I could get Leroy to move her…"

"Go get him. I'll stay here," Amelia urged her.

Bobbie went up the steps and ran to the servant's quarters where Leroy was working on a bug sprayer. "Leroy, Sookie is in the pool and we can't wake her up. Could you come lift her out of the pool for us?"

"Sure, Ma'am." Leroy jumped up and followed Bobbie back out to the pool. He saw the situation, so he kicked off his workboots and pulled his pant legs up, walking into the water and scooping Sookie up off the mattress. Bobbie and Amelia directed him to the closest lounge chair and he put her down gently. "You want me to call an ambulance, Miss Bobbie?"

"No, that's OK, Leroy, we'll take it from here. Thanks for your help."

He shrugged and picked up his boots, heading back to continue fixing the sprayer. "Holler if you all need me again."

"OK, there's nothing physically wrong, and it's Sookie, so let's think magickal. What happened this morning?" Amelia asked, stroking her forehead and her cheek to test her temperature. She felt normal and her complexion looked rosy.

"She met Freyja, she met an older version of herself and one of the babies and Freyja told her that one of her babies is trapped in Elfyria and if she wants to have him "in her" she has to go get him."

"Holy shit," Amelia said softly.

"Yep. What did you find out about going to Faerie?"

"All I could find was some folklore that said it's not hard to get there, but you have to know _where_ to get there."

"Your teacher didn't know what to do?"

"She thinks Eric will know how to get there."

"Sookie thought so, too. Do you know anything about Dr. Ludwig?" Bobbie asked

"Only her reputation. She's supposed to be the best."

"Should we call her?"

"That's actually not a bad idea. Do you have her number?"

"It's in Sookie's phone. Hang on," Bobbie rushed over to the table where Sookie's tote was sitting and found her phone inside. "I've got it," she said as she dialed the number. "Hi, Dr. Ludwig? This is Bobbie James. Yes, well, Sookie is unconscious, and we can't find anything wrong with her, but we can't wake her up. Yes, the maids and gardeners are around. OK. She's coming to the front door – I'll go get her!" Bobbie ran through the house, glad that Margaret and Alicia were nowhere to be seen. She opened the front door and a very plain, normal looking woman wearing a blues smock and pants, like you see in a hospital, was already there. She had a traditional leather doctor's bag and there was a very normal blue Chevy Impala in the driveway.

"Nice to see you again, Bobbie."

"Hi, Doctor. She was floating in the pool on an air mattress, but she's not conscious," Bobbie explained as they moved back through the house, "she wasn't in the water, and her pulse and temperature seem normal."

"Did you check her blood pressure?"

"No, we don't have a cuff."

"I'll leave one with you when I go. Blood pressure might be a challenge with this pregnancy in particular," Ludwig explained as they arrived at the pool and she opened her bag. She produced a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope, and she had Bobbie use them on her so she could be sure Bobbie knew how to use one correctly. Sookie's blood pressure turned out to be a little low, so the doctor left instructions to check it at least twice a day from that point forward.

"Doctor, could this have anything to do with Sookie seeing Freyja this morning?" Amelia asked.

"Has she already seen Freyja?" Ludwig said with surprise, "I thought it would be a while before She made an appearance. Any idea what They talked about?"

Amelia and Bobbie looked at each other, not sure if they should tell or not, and Ludwig saw their concern.

"Listen, Ladies, I'm her doctor. Her care and the care of that child are my responsibility. I need to know what is going on with them."

"Sookie met with an older version of herself and saw one of the babies…" Bobbie began.

"One of the babies?" The doctor didn't know about this at all.

"The older Sookie told her there were twins, one vampire and one Fae, and that Niall would try to keep the Fae child. Freyja told her he's in an egg and that if Sookie wants to have him inside her, she has to hurry and go get him."

"Freyja actually told her to go to Elfyria?"

"Yes."

"Did She tell her how to do it?"

"No."

"Don't let her try it alone. She doesn't know enough about the Fae to go in there unarmed. If she goes at all, I'd say Northman should be with her."

"She has no idea how to do it."

"Northman does, though. He's been there before."

"Sookie doesn't know that."

"What don't I know? Ouch!" Sookie opened her eyes as Ludwig was pumping the cuff up again.

"Nice to see you back." The little doctor checked her pressure and then looked into her eyes. "What do you remember?"

"I remember floating in the pool, and I heard Freyja calling me, but I couldn't raise my head. She said to be ready because it's almost time."

"That's all?"

"Yeah, but I feel tingly."

"Tingly? Where? All over?"

"My hands, my head, my chest and especially where the baby is."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, it's actually kind of pleasant, like my body is waking up and getting stronger."

"Are you keeping notes on these things?"

"Yeah, in a steno pad… " Sookie motioned toward the table but suddenly the steno pad was in her hand, and everyone except the doctor jumped.

Ludwig cackled, "well, now, that's a step in the right direction! You practice that with small things, and before you know it, you'll be able to teleport!"

"Teleport?"

"Yes, pop in and out of places the way I do. That's the easiest way to get to Elfyria, though as I told your Witches here, Northman certainly knows how to get there."

"He does?"

"Oh, yes, little girl, he's been there before. I'm sure he'll tell you about it when the time is right."

"When the time is right?"

"He's a thousand years old, my dear. There are things about him that will need some preparation before he's ready to share and before you're ready to hear. We're at the beginning of a long process, so try to be patient and focus on one thing at a time. You've got that little one inside you to think about."

"I've got another baby, too, though, and I'm going to bring him home, no matter what it takes."

"You don't want to start a war with Niall, Sookie. The ramifications…"

"I don't care about ramifications. Freyja says he's keeping one of my children from me. If there's war over it, HE started it."

"Alright, well, you're awake now. You and Northman talk it over and give me a call if you have questions. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon, and practice that new skill." The doctor was gone.

"Can you guys help me up?" Sookie asked, "I feel kind of wobbly." Amelia and Bobbie each grabbed an arm and helped her stand. Sookie bent her knees and shook her legs out a little, then she stretched and walked around, shaking out her arms and her hands. "Sorry if I scared you all."

"We're just glad you're OK. Are you still tingling?" Bobbie asked.

"Yeah, but I feel weirdly strong all of a sudden. I mean, my head is swimming but my body feels strong."

"Maybe you should go in and lie down, Sweetie?" Amelia suggested

"No, I want to float in the pool. You guys will be with me. It'll be fine – come on!" Before they knew what was happening, Sookie dove into the pool and came up at the other end where her mattress had floated, laying across it. They couldn't leave her in there alone, so Bobbie grabbed two mattresses while Amelia took off the sundress that she had on over her green tank suit and they followed her into the water.

"So how long was I out?"

"We're not sure," Bobbie said, "I came down right after you and looked out, and you were sitting at the table writing in your steno pad. I got a phone call that lasted about 25 or 30 minutes, then Amelia was at the door so we came out together."

"You were out here on a mattress, but you were completely unresponsive. You scared the crap out of us, Kid. We're lucky you didn't slip into the water."

"Freyja wouldn't let that happen," Sookie said with absolute certainty.

"We'd hope not, Sookie, but let's not test that theory, OK?" Amelia was dead serious, "you don't get in the pool unless someone is watching you."

"Bobbie's with me most of the time. I didn't get hurt."

"Just be cautious, Sookie. Even if nothing happened to you, you have to think of the baby."

"I'm thinking of nothing else, believe me. I'm aware of him all the time."

"Literally?"

"Yeah, especially when he's awake. He reacts to my thoughts, too."

"Are you sure?" Amelia thought maybe it was Sookie's imagination.

"Definitely. He reacts to Eric's, too, if he touches my tummy."

"Do you think he'll be able to hear vampires?" Amelia asked.

"We probably won't know that until he's born," Sookie mused, "but I know Eric had his hand on my tummy thinking "kick" and the baby responded. If he thought "kick, kick," the baby kicked twice."

"How do you know what he was thinking?"

"I can hear him, sometimes."

"You can hear vampires now?"

"I don't know- I can hear Eric, sometimes, but I think it's through the bond."

"Does a blood bond work that way?"

"I don't know if they do normally or not, but ours works that way. Of course, I won't know for sure until I'm around other vampires."

"Excuse me, Miss Sookie?" Margaret came out the back door, "will Miss Amelia be staying for dinner?"

"Oh, no, thanks, Margaret –I'll be leaving before then," Amelia answered for her.

"Are you sure, Amelia? You just got here?" Sookie had assumed she'd stay.

"Your Grandma and I were planning to spend Tuesday and Wednesday nights here, so I'll go home tonight and let you and Eric talk. You can call if you need me, but I have a feeling Eric is the one that's going to have the answers you need. We're all going shopping Wednesday, remember?"

"Oh, I forgot! You'll come with us, right, Bobbie?"

"Sure, if you want me to."

"Good, you can drive. We're going to pick up some last minute things for the wedding and have lunch and all. Speaking of which, Friday, I'm spending the night at Gran's so Eric doesn't see me before the ceremony. You can come with me, if you want to and we'll have a slumber party. Amelia is going to teach me to read cards!"

"Ooh – fun. What deck do you use, Amelia?"

"The Connolly Tarot – have you heard of it?"

"No, that's one of the new ones, right? I'm looking for a new deck. I've been using The Mythical Goddess Tarot for myself, but it's more for communing with the Goddess, not for predicting for other people."

"My teacher insisted I use the Connolly – it's the only one she'll teach with. I was trying to use a Renaissance Tarot, but it was hard to get a positive reading with them. I'll be ordering a deck for Sookie, you want me to get you one, too?"

"Please! I want to see what she likes about it."

Amelia was on her way back to Bon Temps and Sookie and Bobbie had finished her massage, changed their clothing and they were enjoying some turkey cutlets in a parmesan crust and some green beans with almonds when Eric came up the stairs.

"Good evening, Ladies!"

"Eric!" Sookie jumped up and hugged him as she did every night. He looked amazing in a pair of faded jeans, a blue dress shirt that was half-way unbuttoned and his favorite motorcycle boots.

"Mmmm" he purred, "I like this blue dress - we match! Did you have a good day, dear one?"

"We have to talk, it's really important."

"Can it wait until you've finished your meal? You need your nourishment."

"OK, but it's the most important thing in the world!"

Eric almost laughed, but he could feel that she was completely serious. He sat with her while she finished and they said goodnight to Margaret and Alicia as they started the dishwasher and went home for the evening.

After they were out the door, Bobbie said, "I'm going to go to my room, Sookie, so you guys can talk. Call me if you need me. Good luck!" Bobbie said as she took a slice of pecan pie and glass of sweet tea and rode the elevator up to her room.

"Alright, Sookie, what is so important?" Eric asked with concern.

"I met Freyja this morning…"

"Wonderful!"

"But Eric, She said there are supposed to be two babies!"

"Sookie, you know there is only one…"

"Listen," she said with such urgency it shocked him, "whatever Niall did, something went wrong. There's a second baby, in an egg, and Niall is planning to keep him and raise him. Freyja said if I want to have him in my womb with Eric Alexander, I have to go get him soon!"

"Eric Alexander?" Eric loved that name, but hadn't told Sookie about it yet. He wouldn't realize that until later when he had a moment to think.

"Yes, the one inside me is Eric Alexander and the other one is Eric Auberon, but Eric Auberon is in Elfyria or the land of Faerie or whatever."

"Sookie, how you know all of this?"

"Freyja and Sookie 2009 told me…"

"What? Sookie…" he was concerned that she sounded delusional now.

"Here, read my notes from today while I get a piece of pie." Sookie opened her steno pad to the right page and handed to him, then got herself a piece of pecan pie and squirted several mounds of whipped cream on top of it, then brought it back to the table and ate quickly while he read.

"Sookie, the child in Faerie is Fae?"

"Yes, and the one I'm carrying, Eric Alexander, is vampire."

Eric hesitated for a minute. How could he say this without upsetting her?

"Don't you dare say it, Eric Northman, I mean it!" She had never been more serious in her life and he was shocked she spoke to him that way.

"Say what?" Was she reading his mind again?

"That we should leave him there. If those words come out of your mouth, I'll never forgive you!"

"Sookie…"

"They're both our babies, Eric!" She was adamant and wasn't going to hear any argument. He wondered if she'd already thought of this, because she had all her arguments ready. "Freyja wants him with us or She wouldn't have told me about him!"

"That is true…" he had to consider that seriously. He had expected Freyja to contact Sookie, and he knew She'd only tell Sookie the truth, but this idea was too strange to have prepared for. He was completely taken by surprise and that was a very rare feeling for him. It was disorienting.

"Eric, I saw him! He's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen! He has white blonde hair and your blue eyes, and even that little cleft in his chin!" She smiled and tapped his chin as she spoke and he could only think of how beautiful she was as she beamed at him.

He leaned forward, pressed his forehead to hers and smiled, closing his eyes and trying to picture his son for a second as she hugged him, then it flashed through his mind again that this child was Fae!

"He called me "Mama," Eric!"

She could obviously hear his thoughts and there was nothing else to do so he kissed her - long, hard and deep - and wrapped his arms around her. The last thing in the world that Eric wanted to do was to take Sookie, pregnant with his son, to Elfyria, but he knew it would break her heart if he refused. It might also anger Freyja, and that was no small thing. He also knew full well that if she figured out how to do it, she'd go without him and that wouldn't be good at all.

"Alright, Sookie, we will go together. It's much too dangerous for you to try it alone. Eat your pie and let me think of how we want to go about this."

"Any idea where we'd look for him?"

"I'm sure he's in Niall's palace, probably in the room where she did her rituals."

"Who's she?"

"Titania H'Eloise – Niall's wife."

"The one who was murdered?"

"Assassinated, yes."

"Did you know her?"

"Yes, I knew her briefly before she died. I'm sure Niall would keep anything as important as this under his own roof while he can."

"While he can?"

"If he was planning to hide the child, he probably plans to have someone raise him elsewhere but he'd wait until the child is born to be sure nothing goes wrong. You say he is in an egg?"

"Right, that's what I was told."

"Is Bobbie the only one who knows about this?"

"No, Amelia knows. She came over but she couldn't come up with a way to get there. She said some source said it's not a matter of how to get there but knowing where to get there."

"Yes, that's true."

"Dr. Ludwig knows, too."

That shocked Eric. "How would she know?"

Sookie explained how she heard Freyja's voice and the girls couldn't wake her.

"She did not discourage you?"

"Well, she said we should talk about it because it might start a war with Niall."

"That is very true, Sookie. He's not a person you want to anger."

"He's got no business trying to keep our child, Eric. He made this happen, but something went wrong and he could have fixed it but didn't. I'm the one with the right to be angry."

"She didn't make any suggestions how to go about it?"

"She said we could call if we had questions."

"Anything else?"

"I was supposed to practice this new thing I did, but I don't know how I did it."

"What new thing?"

"See that can of whipped cream?"

Eric looked at the island in front of them and saw a can of Reddi-Whip. "Yes?"

"Whipped cream!" Sookie stretched out her hand and the can instantly appeared in it.

"When did you learn this, Sookie?" Now this was good news!

"I was able to do it when they woke me up. I was tingling all over and felt wobbly but really strong, and she asked me if I wrote down my dream and I meant to point at the steno pad, but it appeared in my hand! She said if I practiced I'd be able to teleport like she does."

"And you just now thought to mention it?"

"Well, yeah, I was more worried about our baby!"

"Sookie, your new skill might make getting him much easier."

"It might?"

"Yes, we might not have to travel to cross over. If you can teleport, we're half-way there."

"How do you get there without it?"

"You need the blood of a fairy and a willow tree with a root that points exactly westward."

"How much blood?"

"Just a small amount."

"What do you do with it?"

"You wear it – you smear it on your chest, over your heart, and some on the tree, then follow the root westward."

"Where do you get the blood?"

"That's the hard part, usually, but you have fairy blood, so that's not a problem."

"I'm only part fairy, though – will it still work?"

"Your blood is distinctly Fae since you are pregnant, but there's only one way to find out."

"You're half fairy – would your blood work?"

"I have no idea. When I went, I didn't know I had any Fae in me, and I was given the blood to cross over."

"Who gave you the blood?"

Eric didn't know what to say, again. It was too early to tell her this part of his life. She'd never understand.

"Tell me you didn't kill my grandmother!"

"I didn't, Sookie! I couldn't!" How did she figure that out?

"You couldn't? Like, you tried and couldn't do it?"

"I have always been a warrior, Sookie. I was a mercenary, and I was sent to Elfyria to do a job…"

"Killing my great grandmother?"

"Yes, but when I saw her, I…" His head was swimming – this was too much! It's too early!

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Eventually, when we'd been together for a while and you understood more about magick and Supe politics."

"Look, Eric, I met a version of me from 2009 and she obviously just had that baby, and she was shocked that I already knew Bobbie and was already pregnant, PLUS, she was really relieved when I told her I never slept with Bill. I've read enough mystery novels to put this together!"

"Then explain it to me, because I am lost." He was being too honest, again, but what the hell?

"Don't you get it, Eric? We got it right! That Sookie slept with Bill Compton and somehow that cost her three years of being with you and having our kids. She knows Niall is trying to keep our baby because he tried to keep hers! She didn't get to give birth to that baby! That's why Freyja let her come back to see me! So we could get him now, so he can be born from me instead of an egg!"

Eric nodded as he considered her theory. "Yes, that makes sense. It's what you would do. If there were any way you could set that right, you'd find it and do it, and she did."

"Alright, so we know we're on the right track, and we're getting there three years faster than she did. So even if it feels too soon to tell me about you and my grandmother, just suck it up and tell me like you did about Freyja."

"Alright. Come into the den." He stood and pulled her into the other room.

"Why here?"

"It's just cozier than the kitchen. Sit here with me," he pulled her onto the couch next to him and wrapped his arms around her. She put her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "I love you, Eric. Don't be afraid. Just tell me the truth."

"Alright, but stay here in my arms. It makes me feel more grounded." It flashed through his mind that he couldn't remember the last time he'd shown such vulnerability.

"OK, who hired you?"

"Niall."

She looked at him shocked, but bit her tongue so she didn't scream. "Why would he hire you?"

"Fae are incapable of harming the True Heir to the throne. Niall thought he could not kill her himself, so he hired me."

"But you're Fae, so when you tried to kill her, you couldn't?"

"I didn't know I was Fae. All I knew was that she was the most beautiful, magickal thing I had ever seen in my life."

"More than me?"

"No, exactly like you."

"Did you fall in love with me because I reminded you of her?"

"No, Sookie, I am in love with you in a completely new way. I never thought of her until Niall contacted me. I had apparently succeeded in blocking it all out of my mind. It was very … traumatic."

"So, did you fall in love with her?"

"Yes, I did."

"What happened?"

"I stayed to protect her, but I could not taste her food for her. Niall laced her mead with lemon. They were at a banquet, and he made a toast to her beauty, and she drank it before she realized what he'd done."

"What did you do after she died?"

"I came back, I tried to forget. I never spoke of it until now."

"Pam doesn't even know?"

"How could I tell her? No vampire would understand. They'd think me a fool for falling in love with a Faerie Queen. The wars broke out shortly after and my duty was to my vampire territory. I focused on that."

"Will they think you're a fool for being in love with me?"

"No, they will envy me for many reasons. Most will only notice your scent and your beauty, and the fact that you are having my child will distract them from everything else. Most would kill to have what I have with you."

"OK, so when do we go, and how?"

"I'll have to take a sword. We'll need to dress in something light because the hallways are white. I'm pretty sure that your blood and your gift will get us there if you anoint me with it and state where you want to go."

"You mean, like cut myself and put it over your heart?"

"I think so. I wonder if we should call Ludwig first to make sure?"

"No. I don't know why, but I'm sure she shouldn't know until after."

"Here, Sookie, stand over here." He led her to the center of the room. "I need a katana from the fourth floor. Call it."

"Katana!" She was holding a long, curved sword in her hands before she realized it, accidentally cutting her hand. As Eric took it from her, Sookie reached into his shirt and pressed her bleeding palm to his chest and said, "Eric Auberon!"

In an instant, they were in a large, cold bedroom of white stone with a fireplace and a table covered with red silk. There was a large canopy bed with dark velvet curtains, and people could be heard moving around in the hall. Eric put his hand over Sookie's mouth and pulled her around the bed away from the door. "Shh, they might hear us!" he whispered and she clung to him until the sounds in the hall had ceased.

"Eric, where are we? I've been here before!"

"This is Titania's bed chamber."

"You've been here before, too!"

"Yes, I have, and I never expected to be back."

"Are you angry with me?"

"No, Sookie, I am overwhelmed by you. I feel as if my past and my present are colliding and it is all I can do just to keep up with you. I would have liked more time to prepare."

"OK, but we're here. What do we do now?"

"Titania's ritual room is the most likely place for Niall to keep the egg."

"Do you know how to get there from here?"

"Yes, it's in this wing. On the plus side, we won't need to leave this section of the castle. On the other hand, Niall and Titania always used that room in the evenings. If he's in the castle, the chances are very great that he's there. Be warned, Sookie, I am obviously vampire to any Fae that we meet. They'll try to kill me, so I must kill them. I'll have no other choice."

"What about me?"

"They might recognize you, but they might not, too. Stay behind me, and protect your belly, whatever you do. It would be tragic to lose the baby we have trying to get the other we don't."

"Yeah, that's true. OK, I'll stay behind you and I'll do whatever you say."

"Alright. Don't speak as we move. Just stay behind me and make as little noise as possible."

"I think I'm glad I'm barefoot."

"Shhh." Eric moved silently toward the door and Sookie followed closely behind, standing back so he could open the door to the hallway. They slipped silently into the hallway, and Sookie could tell Eric knew exactly where they were going. They went to the right down a long passageway that dead-ended in a hall that ran perpendicular to it. Sookie was trying to be as quiet as she could, though her stomach was churning. Eric looked back at her with concern.

"Alright?"

"Morning sickness. I never got sick today - until now."

"If you think you're going to throw up or faint, tug on my shirt tail." He led her to the left in the new hallway and they approached a large set of double doors. Eric listened at the door, satisfied that no one was moving within, the scent of tallow burning from candles inside. He moved one door very, very slowly just enough that they could slip inside and he closed it very gently.

Sookie was amazed at the stinging familiarity of the room. It was huge, full of books and scrolls, leather chairs by the fireplace and a long wooden table with a large book on a wooden stand, and things that looked like globes, but with planets and stars, a big crystal ball, and an old fashioned inkwell and a box of quills. In the middle of the floor was a huge gold pentagram and there were huge burning candles stuck on the stone floor all around it. In the center was an oak dais about four foot high set with a huge clear crystal bowl. In the bowl was a blue velvet pillow and there were lights focused on it and a thermometer of all things, clipped to the side of the bowl. Sitting perched on the pillow was a translucent oval, about the size and shape of a lemon, which Sookie suddenly realized had a tiny fetus in it and she lost her dinner on one point of the pentgram.

"Eric, that's it!" Sookie said a little too loudly, so he motioned for her to be quiet. Eric looked at the way the lights were arranged around the bowl and read the thermometer. "99 degrees, Sookie. It's set up to keep it at a constant temperature, as if it were in the womb."

"If we move it and let it cool off, he'll die!" Sookie didn't know how she knew that, but she was certain that was the case.

"It came from this direction," they heard a voice in the hall. "Hide behind the couch, Sookie," Eric picked her up and deposited her behind a leather sofa to the right side of the hearth, and moved faster than the eye could see to just inside the big doors. Sookie heard him think that he was going to ambush the guards if they came through the door and he was trying desperately to figure out how to maintain a constant temperature on the egg if they moved it. Sookie realized that she really should tell Eric that she could hear his thoughts. It could really come in handy right now. Footsteps were heard in the hallway and Sookie heard Eric think that there were at least four sets of footprints coming this way. Sookie was crouching on the floor, trying to decide how to best protect her belly, when she looked up and noticed five portraits on the great wall facing her. The painting in the center was Sookie! That shocked her and she rose up on her knees just as the guards came through the door.

"Who ar-gh!" The first man started to yell at her but his head was sliced off, then the backstroke cut the man behind him nearly in half. Blood sprayed everywhere as Eric fought the other two, moving almost too quickly to see. Eric tipped a bookshelf to hold off the guards, knowing more were coming to investigate the noise. Eric cut one guard badly and grabbed a curtain to use to parry their blows with his left hand. The long table was tipped as Eric moved behind it and one of the guards cut through the circle of candles to trap him behind. As he moved through the circle, the Fae guard slipped on the vomit and kicked a big candle out of his way, causing on of the lights over the bowl to fall.

"Now, Sookie! Go!" She heard Freyja's voice and at once Sookie darted out from her hiding place and grabbed the egg just as Eric leapt into the air as both guards moved forward from each side. He somersaulted through the air and landed in front of Sookie, as the guard to the left lost his arm and the other rushed forward screaming  
"INTRUDER! INTRUDER!" and the clatter in the hallway grew louder.

"Sookie, the closet behind you – get in!"

Eric wasn't sure he could hold them all off, but he prayed that at least Sookie might escape injury. Sookie cradled the egg as he closed the door on her, crying, "Freyja, show me what to do!"

"Inside, Sookie! You have to keep it warm!" Sookie saw in her mind what to do and pulled down her panties, slipping the egg up inside her. She pulled her panties back up, feeling a weird cramp as Freyja said "home, Sookie, now!" Sookie burst out of the closet as Eric threw the couch onto the guards, who were slipping and sliding on blood and sick, the bowl and lights crashing to the floor. Sookie dived at Eric's feet, landing on her knees and wrapping her arms around his legs yelling "HOME!"

There was an explosion of light in the room and Sookie and Eric left a mass of destruction in their wake as Eric's sword sliced through the neck of the last guard who actually saw them. The explosion in the room destroyed most of the furniture, the large book on the long table the only thing left untouched. No one left alive knew what had happened, or who had been there and there were blood and body parts strewn about the room.

The follow-through from Eric's sword knocked the lamp off his nightstand, and he stumbled and fell on the bed half in shock, Sookie still ahold of his leg.

"OW!" Sookie doubled over and fell sideways and Eric threw the sword on the floor and knelt next to her.

"Sookie, are you hurt?"

"No, it's alright. Put me in bed – AAH!"

"What's happening?"

"He's going where he belongs," she said, panting.

"What?"

"Put me in bed, and go get Bobbie, Eric, now!"

He swept her up and put her on the bed, then zipped up the stairs to Bobbie's room, pounding on the door, "Bobbie! Bobbie!" he opened the door as she was climbing out of bed. "Sookie needs you in our room, hurry!" and he zipped back down at vampire speed, Bobbie running right behind him as fast as she could.

Sookie was panting the way she'd see women do on TV, and Eric was scared to death. "What can I do?"

"Just hold my hand. Where's Bobbie?"

"I'm here, Sweetie!" she ran into the room wearing nothing but a big t-shirt that said 'Goddess' on it, her big black bag on her shoulder, rushing around the bed to Sookie's side. "What's happening?"

"Freyja told me to put the egg inside me to keep it warmmmmmhgggh!" She grunted, "he's going up where he belongs."

"You think he's moving up through your cervix into your womb?"

"Exactly – like birth in reverse!" she said as she squeezed Eric's hand so hard it amazed him.

"Should I call Dr. Ludwig?" Eric offered

"NO! I'm sure of that. Don't let anyone know until he's completely in place. They can't touch him there, but he's not in there yet."

"Eric, get me a wet washcloth," Bobbie told him just to give him something to do, "Sookie, does this feel right? Is this the way it's supposed to feel?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. I feel it moving up. Ah! Ah! AhHHHHHH! Ungh!" there was one last push and a sudden slipping into place. Sookie collapsed backwards, breathing very hard.

"Sweetie, try to slow your breathing, in through your nose, out through your mouth,"

"I think it's done!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, he's in there," Sookie said, exhausted, covered with sweat.

Eric handed her the washcloth and Bobbie put it on Sookie's forehead.

"Sookie, one of us should make sure you're not bleeding, or better, have the doctor do it…" Bobbie suggested. On one hand, she trusted Sookie's intuition, but someone needed to be sure it was the second baby going in rather than the first baby coming out.

"You do it, Bobbie, I'm sure it's alright now."

"Alright, Sweetie, keep breathing." Bobbie pulled a couple of plastic gloves out of a package in her bag and put them on as Eric helped Sookie out of her panties, leaning on the bed beside her. Sookie held her legs up and back and let Bobbie slip her fingers inside, pressing lightly on her uterus, which felt firm and fine. She felt something odd and pulled out an empty jelly-like shell that reminded Bobbie of a vitamin E capsule that had been pierced and squeezed empty. "What's this?"

"That's the outside of the egg. I need to keep that!"

"What do you want to do with it?" Bobbie was following Sookie's lead right now because this was completely unknown territory.

"See if I've got a pair of silk panties in my drawer."

Eric got up and looked in the top left dresser drawer. "These seem to be silk, I think?"

"No, those are nylon. Silk will probably be really bright colors."

He found a tiny pair in a floral pattern of jewel tones and showed it to the girls.

"That looks right," Bobbie said and reached for them, looking at the tag that said "100% silk."

"Here, give me the panties and the shell." Sookie asked, and Bobbie gave them to her.

Sookie blessed the empty shell, saying, "Thank you, Freyja!" kissing it, and wrapping it in the panties, then carefully tucking it into the bottom drawer of her nightstand.

"Eric, make me a promise!"

"What is that, my Angel?" He'd never called Sookie that before, and it made Sookie blush with love.

"Get me a really special box to keep that in – something I can keep forever?"

Tears welled in Eric's eyes. "Of course, I will, Sookie, so we never forget that we fought for our child." He kissed her hard and she rolled in his arms. Bobbie quietly dropped the rubber gloves in the trash, picked up her bag and quietly closed the door behind her, leaving the whole family to revel in their blood bond, feeling whole in an entirely new way.

**_The tie which links mother and child is of such pure and immaculate strength as to be never violated. _ ~Washington Irving**


	18. Chapter 18

**[A/N: Sorry it's a short one, but I just need to end this chapter and get back to LATE.]**

**Part 18 Every Lusty Heart**

Sookie woke up standing on the shore, hearing her name above the sound of the waves. She went toward the voice, up over the little hill behind the shore, and found Freyja in a beautiful garden relaxing in Her throne, drinking from a golden goblet and eating plums, grapes and blueberries from a big, low bowl on a pink marble table within reach.

Sookie ran to Her all excited, "Freyja! I got him! We found Eric Auberon and he's in me now!"

"Wonderful! I knew you could do it!" Freyja motioned for Sookie to sit next to her and she did, letting Freyja wrap her arms around her. Freyja kissed Sookie's cheek and stroked her long blonde hair as Sookie tried not to cry. Suddenly she was feeling the stress of the last few days and she flashed back on Freyja singing to her as a child. She started to break down but then a thought hit her:

"Hey, why couldn't You do it?" she choked back a sob and wiped a tear from her cheek.

Freyja laughed with delight, "I did do it, Dearest! I sent you!" She popped a big purple grape into Sookie's mouth and it was unbelievably sweet and perfect.

"Oh…" That confused Sookie for a minute as she chewed the big grape, then she went on, "but couldn't You…"

"Sookie, there are things you don't know – things I can't tell you yet. We have to let it unfold organically, in good time." Freyja picked up a plum, which fell into two perfect halves, and She ate one while Sookie ate the other. Freyja cast the pit to the side and in just the time it took Sookie to finish her half, a great plum tree sprang up where the pit had fallen.

"Do Goddesses and gods have rules?" Sookie asked as she watched the tree in amazement.

"In a manner of speaking. None of us is omnipotent except Magna Mater."

"Who's Magna Mater?"

"That's Latin for the Great Mother - Magna Mater deorum Idaea is Her complete title, "the great Idaean Mother of the gods.""

"The Great Mother? She doesn't have a name?"

Freyja laughed, "Only ten thousand or so. Cybele, Rhea, Gaia, Freyja… every place and time has a name for Her if you go back far enough. These days, most who know of Her call Her "Isis," but I've never gotten used to that. I've been calling Her Magna Mater since… well, since the Beginning."

"Can I ever see the Magna Mater like I see you here, now?"

"Not while you are in that body, Dearest – the sight of Her would cause every cell in your body to explode because you're a part of Her. Most beings only see Her as She truly is when they die, but you won't need to worry about that."

"Why not?"

"You're not going to die. Not for a very long time, anyway, if all goes well."

"What if it doesn't go well?"

"We'll just have to see that it does, you and I. You've got to get back now and call Dr. Ludwig."

"I do?"

"Oh, yes – she needs to know that you are bearing twins now!"

"Doesn't she already…?"

"Niall never told her about Eric Auberon, so she might not expect you to have found him. He'll pay for his deception in time, but that's for another day."

"Who named the baby Auberon?"

"I did, of course," She laughed as She pulled Sookie to her feet and fed her three plump blueberries.

"Why?" Sookie asked as the berries gently burst on her tongue with the most amazing flavor she ever tasted.

"Auberon is the King of the Fairies, My Dear. Wake up now, Dearest! Sookie, wake up!"

"Sookie! Wake up, Sweetie, you need to eat!" Bobbie finally sat the tray down on the side table and shook her a little. "Sookie?"

Sookie's eyes finally flew open like she was startled. "Hey! What's going on?"

"Whew – you had me worried for a minute, kid. Were you dreaming?"

"I was with Freyja, eating purple fruit and talking, then She said I had to come back and call Dr. Ludwig." Sookie tried to push herself up so Bobbie could put the tray across her lap.

"Good idea. I was going to suggest that, anyway. She doesn't know you've got the twin yet, does she?"

"No, we didn't call her last night."

"I didn't think so. I wonder how she feels about all this? I know she wouldn't have let the baby stay in Elfyria like that if she had known about it. If anything happened to him, it could damage her reputation."

"Yeah, he wasn't in the most secure setting, either."

"Where was he?"

"In a crystal bowl in the middle of a big gold circle with a star in it, with lamps and a thermometer on him to keep the temperature constant."

"Niall couldn't spring for an incubator?"

"He's obviously got money, so I'd say he never heard of one."

"Yeah, Fae probably don't know much about medicine, do they?"

"I never really thought about it, but what we did see there was pretty old fashioned. It was like you stepped back in time there."

"Was there any electricity?

"Yeah, there were electric lights on the egg in the bowl, but I don't remember seeing any cords."

"No cords?"

"No. Maybe they were magick?"

"That's probably a safe bet…" Bobbie considered that for a minute.

"It's so hard to know where reality stops and the magick starts," Sookie said, mostly to herself, as she put together some salmon, cream cheese and a bagel.

"Technically, there is no separation. You've internalized human limitations that aren't real, Sookie. Amelia and I talked about this last night after you went to bed."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I called her to let her know you were back and everything was alright. She thinks maybe you don't really need to learn to _do_ magick, you just need to unlearn not doing it."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, she thinks you ARE magick, and you've learned not to do it. All you need to do is stop stopping yourself from doing what comes naturally."

Sookie considered that. "You know, I've been remembering some stuff from when I was little…"

"What's that, Hon?"

"Times when my mom or Gran would tell me not to tell anyone else what I had been doing, or just to not do that any more."

"What kind of things? Bobbie asked as she dug Sookie's notepad out of her tote bag so they could write things down as Sookie remembered them.

"Well, I remember having tea parties at the back of the yard and there would be…" her voice trailed off as she was trying to remember.

"Yes?"

"Creatures. There were creatures there."

"What kind of creatures?"

"Rabbits, squirrels, birds, little people… wait – I dreamed that, right? That there were little men at the tea party?"

"What did they look like, Sookie?"

"The seven dwarves."

"The seven dwarves from Snow White?"

"Yeah, they were like from Snow White and the creatures were like from Cinderella, when they helped her make her dress."

"Were they the actual figures from the cartoons, Sookie, or were they just like the cartoons?"

"The little people were like the cartoons, but much shorter and skinnier – about twice as big as a Barbie doll - and they liked purple Kool Aid, and M&Ms, but they said never bring lemonade to the party or they couldn't play with me any more. There were some tiny boys and girls with colorful butterfly wings, too."

"What happened to them?"

"Well, Gran saw us one day and she chased them into the woods with a broom. She said not to talk to them anymore and don't tell Jason, and then she never let me take my tea set outside any more. If I wanted to have a tea party she said we'd have it at the dining room table and she'd bake me cookies. I was so excited about the cookies that I forgot about my little friends," Sookie was staring off into the distance, a little sad. "I haven't thought of that in years - I was sure it was a dream."

"I don't think so, Sookie, I think that was real."

"She told me not to pet the rabbits and squirrels because they might have rabies," she said sadly as the memory came back to her.

"You know, Sookie, rabbits and squirrels don't let humans come near them."

"They used to come right up to me and eat potato chips out of my hands. I know that was real because I remember how it felt when the rabbits nibbled things in my palm and the squirrels would touch me with their little hands. There was a baby one summer that would sit on my shoulder for hours while I sat under a tree and read my library books. He stopped coming around when Gran let me keep my kitten, Tina."

"Cats and squirrels don't get along, I guess?" Bobbie said.

"Right. They're rodents, I think."

"Can you remember anything else from your childhood?"

"Just the Fairy Lady. That's what I used to call Freyja, but I remember thinking one time She's not really a Fairy… _but I am_… or did She say that to me? How could I have forgotten that? I can even remember how She smelled like roses."

"You're remembering now, Sookie, and that's the important thing. You've always had magick around you, but no one explained what was going on."

"I wish I had known."

"You might have been better off not knowing, Sookie. Try to trust that everything is happening the way it needs to happen."

"Freyja said it all has to unfold organically in good time."

"That sounds right to me. When are you going to call the doctor?"

"Let's get that over with so we can enjoy the pool today. I need some color this week so I don't look pale in my wedding dress on Saturday."

"Here's your phone." Bobbie picked Sookie's iPhone up from the floor next to the bed and handed it to her.

Sookie dialed and the doctor picked up on the first ring.

"Queen….er, I mean, Sookie, is that you?"

"Yes, doctor – who did you think it was?" Sookie laughed, assuming Dr. Ludwig had made a mistake.

"Never mind – my mistake. What news have you?"

"We got the baby and he's in me now."

"I'll be right there." The strange little doctor popped into the room, carrying the carpetbag that was nearly as big as she. "Alright, Little Girl, let's see how we're doing. Bobbie, will you watch the door and see we aren't disturbed?"

"Yeah, sure," Bobbie said, quickly going to close Sookie's bedroom door and then leaning against it so no one could walk in on them since the maids didn't know the doctor was there.

The doctor started with the pelvic exam to make sure everything was as it should be. As she gently pressed on Sookie's lower abdomen, she smiled, and said, "there's our little lost boy - tucked in snug with his brother, just as he should be!" She threw away her gloves, patted Sookie's tummy, and then checked her eyes, ears, tongue and fingernails, ending with a listen to her heart and lungs and a check on her blood pressure. "Alright, Sookie, let's test your instincts. What am I going to tell you?"

"The baby is safe for now, I need more rest and my blood pressure is too high."

"Very good. Anything else?"

"I need real blood now that there are two of them."

"Yes, you do. Is Northman serving RM at the wedding?"

"I don't know what that is…"

"Alright, when he awakes, you have him call me and we'll see what we have to do to supplement your diet. Carrying one extraordinary baby was going to be a strain. Two of them will be quite a challenge. Try not to over do it at the wedding, and you get lots of rest before and after," she shook her finger at Sookie and disappeared.

"I wish she wouldn't do that," Sookie said with a laugh.

"Yeah, it's a bit unsettling to have someone disappear in the middle of a conversation," Bobbie agreed. "So – swim, massage, dinner, then I think you should spend a quiet night in bed."

"But…"

"No "buts," Sookie. We have to consider this a pregnancy with complications now – a multiple plus high blood pressure is nothing to screw around with. You're having company the next two nights then we're shopping Wednesday, and you know you're not going to sleep well Friday night."

"I'd better get some sleep Friday – I don't want dark circles that day!"

"Get your rest now, Hon. Let's go get some sun!" Bobbie took the tray away so Sookie could get up.

"Great idea!" Sookie jumped up, but she was a little wobbly. Bobbie took her arm and helped her steady herself.

"Are you sure you're up to the pool today, Sookie?"

"Yeah, I just got up too fast."

"Alright, I'll take the blood pressure cuff with us and we'll monitor every hour or so."

"OK," she yawned.

Bobbie had a feeling that getting Sookie to relax that night was going to be easy. As hard as Sookie was trying to act as if nothing was wrong, she was visibly tired. Bobbie only let her float in the pool for an hour before she suggested they do some gentle exercises followed by a very complete massage. Sookie fell asleep on the table, lying on her side, stirring only when Bobbie helped her shift to the other side. Bobbie didn't want her on her stomach with two babies in there now. She had no idea how they'd "settle in" together as it was, so she was going to make sure Sookie was very careful from this point forward.

When Bobbie was done she talked Sookie into watching a little TV in the den until dinner was ready. They decided to watch Judge Judy, but Sookie was asleep before the first commercial break. Bobbie covered her with a small blue throw, then she, Margaret and Alicia agreed to let her sleep until Eric arose, since she was having grilled fish for dinner and it could be made quickly whenever she was ready to eat.

"Good evening, Ladies." Eric smiled, coming into the room as the sun went down. "Sookie is asleep in the den?" He could feel her in the bond, and knew by this time how it felt when she was sleeping. It made him feel warm and secure when he could feel her relaxation and happiness, especially when she dreamed. He'd never felt anything quite like it, and he was very grateful to have it in his life now.

"We thought we'd let you wake her and see if she wants to eat," Bobbie explained.

"What kind of day did she have?"

"Quiet," Bobbie reported, "some time in the pool, gentle exercise, a long massage. Dr. Ludwig checked her out this morning and wants her to get a lot of rest. I told her I think she should take it easy tonight since she'll be busy the rest of the week."

"Her Grandmother and Amelia are still planning to visit?"

"Yes, and we're supposed to go shopping Wednesday."

"I'm not convinced that is a good idea, but we'll see how she feels then. Is her dinner ready, Margaret?"

"I'll finish it as soon as you let me know she's ready."

"Alright, I'll go check on her now. Bobbie, I'll call you if we need you."

"OK, great. I'm pretty sure Dr. Ludwig wanted to talk to you. Something about RM, whatever that is."

"Alright, I think I know what that's about. I'll call her later."

Bobbie had Margaret finish her plate and took it up to her room, where she had some reading she wanted to do. She needed to brush up on the symptoms of preeclampsia so she could explain it to Sookie. She had a feeling the blood pressure issue would get worse as the pregnancy progressed.

"Sookie, my Angel, wake up," Eric said softly as he knelt next to her on the couch, admiring how pretty she looked still wrapped in the sheets from her massage.

Sookie stirred a little, smiling and blinking at him sleepily. "I keep falling asleep!"

He laughed softly and brushed her hair away from her face. "Sleep is good in your condition. I want you to sleep whenever you can."

"Don't let me get boring."

"You will never bore me, Sookie, I can promise you that."

"You always say the right thing," she sighed and yawned as he watched her, fascinated by the way the light danced on her hair, and how soft her skin felt as he stroked her cheek.

"Can you eat dinner now, Sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I think so – what am I having?"

"Some sort of fish, apparently." He smiled and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her into the kitchen. "Margaret, Sookie is ready to eat her dinner, then she's going to bed."

"All by my self?" She pouted playfully at him as he sat her in her usual spot.

"Of course not. I'm going with you so we can keep each other company. It's a treat for me to have a warm girl in my own bed, you know. I had no idea how much I needed that until I found you. Now that I know how it feels, I wonder how I ever lived without it," he teased her and made her giggle. He was saying it in a silly, exaggerated way, but he was serious, too, and Sookie knew it. She let him feed her dinner, not because she was that tired, but because she could tell it gave him pleasure to do it, especially the big piece of chocolate cake Margaret left her with as she and Alicia left for the day. Eric was giving Sookie big bites of the cake that she was washing down with a wonderfully cold glass of whole organic milk, rolling it around her mouth to bring the flavor out of the creamy chocolate frosting. When she finished, Eric put her dish in the sink and carried her up the stairs.

"Hey, we could soak in the tub…" she suggested as they passed the second floor.

"I think it would be better for you to go straight to bed."

"Are we going to fool around?" she asked hopefully.

"Probably not. I'm going to call Dr. Ludwig, then we'll decide about that, alright?" he smiled at her as he sat her down gently on the bed.

"She's going to tell you I need real blood since there are two babies," Sookie told him as he helped her out of the white sheets, "but will I be able to drink it? It's not safe, is it?"

"Bobbie said she mentioned RM – did she explain what that is?" He helped her turn down the bed and crawl in, then sat on his side next to her.

"No, but she thought you'd be ordering it for the wedding."

"Yes, there will be about 10 cases for the vampires we've invited."

"What about True Blood?"

"That's synthetic blood. I can't serve that to the Queen and her party. They'll be expecting RM." He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"What's RM stand for?"

"The Real Meal. It's a filtered blood product. It's real human blood that has been pasteurized and screened for any diseases or impurities. They make it safe for humans who are in long term relationships with Vampires, or prostitutes who specialize in them, too."

"How come I never heard of it?"

"You're not a Vampire. Very few humans know of it. Some of it is labeled in such a way as to disguise what it is. We want people to think we can survive with synth blood."

"You can't?"

"An older vampire like myself could survive well enough on it, but younger vampires need real blood. Don't tell anyone."

"Who am I going to tell," Sookie laughed. "I'm not going to tell Gran about it, Amelia might already know. Bobbie will probably ask, though…"

"Bobbie's your caretaker so it won't hurt to explain it to her, since she didn't seem to know what it is."

"Why don't Vamps just tell people they need blood?"

"It would scare them. We needed to come out sooner or later, and when the synth blood was invented, it allowed us to claim we had no need to feed on humans. It makes us seem less threatening."

"Is drinking bottled blood like that as good as taking it from a live donor?"

"Oh, no – nothing compares to feeding on a living source. It's a little safer, though, because it has been screened. You never know where a human has been these days," he laughed, teasing her again.

Sookie laughed, but said, "seriously, though, there is that disease, right? Sino-Aids?"

"Yes, there is. That's the main reason the product was developed, but since they knew certain humans would need it as a supplement, they test it for all strains of HIV and hepatitis, et cetera," he explained as he pulled Ludwig's number up on his cell phone.

"Northman?"

"Yes, Doctor. I hear you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes, I think you need to try giving your little fiancée RM instead of True Blood now that she's carrying twins. She needs to gain a little weight as it is, and the babies will grow rapidly in the coming month. We need to give her every possible advantage so we have two healthy babies and a healthy mama at the end of the process. Your wedding is Saturday, yes?"

"Yes."

"Does she have anything strenuous planned to get ready for it?"

"I believe they're going to shop at one of the local malls Wednesday."

"Alright, I'll have a wheel chair with automatic controls delivered tomorrow. She's to stay in it as much as possible and I don't want to hear any sass about it. You be firm with her - the survival of your children and your wife have to come first, you understand me?"

"Yes, Doctor, I do."

"Alright, let her try the RM at the wedding and let me know immediately if she's unable to drink it. If she is able, start her on two a day and we'll go from there."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"I'll probably see you at the wedding, but I'm not sure of it. If not, I'll certainly talk to you after," she said as she hung up.

"She's going to send a wheel chair for you to use on Wednesday," Eric told her as he ended the call and laid his iPhone on his nightstand.

"Is that really necessary?" Sookie wrinkled her nose, not liking the idea at all.

"The doctor thinks it is, so you do as she says. She said she didn't want to hear any sass about it – your life and the lives of the boys are at stake, so you stay in the chair as much as you can."

"Well, if you put it that way…"

"That is the way it is, Sookie," he said firmly, looking her right in the eye. "You need to appreciate the gravity of the situation."

"Gravity? It's not that big of a deal."

"Your doctor, who knows more about this than either of us, says it is. I don't want any argument about this, and I'll tell Bobbie and Alicia to make sure you follow her orders, so don't put them in a position of disobeying me to accommodate you."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be fair to them…"

"No, indeed."

"Hey, are we having a honeymoon?"

"That will be a surprise, my Angel," he kissed her on the nose and made her giggle. He stood and undressed, smiling to himself that she was yawning as he hung up his shirt and jeans. He slipped back into bed next to her, wrapping her in his strong arms and kissing her hair as she snuggled into him. "Did I ever tell you about the time I explored a pyramid, Sookie?"

"No! You did, for real?"

"Oh, yes, I was with the Carter Expedition that opened King Tut's tomb. I was in Egypt on business when I heard what they were doing and I offered my services to keep the expedtion working 'round the clock. Carter jumped at the chance, because they were rapidly running out of funds and time. I was able to do more at night than their entire crew in the daytime, and I had the advantage of needing neither air nor light as I worked in the tunnel. Both Carter and Lord Carnarvon suspected there was something strange about me and the speed with which I worked as they slept, but they were too grateful to question me openly. I lead them down the night before they were about to announce that the tomb had been opened, so they were the first to see inside the tomb for thousands of years…"

He stopped as Sookie let out a sigh and gave herself over to sleep. He had work to do, but he indulged himself by staying with her, his hand over her womb, sending love to his sons as they slept within her.

_The month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit – Sir Thomas Malory_


End file.
